


I Almost Do

by ihearttvsnark



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-01
Updated: 2014-09-02
Packaged: 2018-02-03 00:45:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 47,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1724954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihearttvsnark/pseuds/ihearttvsnark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Emma’s hand shook as she placed the key in the ignition and turned it slowly. Beside her, Henry shifted in his seat, his eyes focused on Regina as she lifted her hands and countered Pan’s magic with her own. Emma started the car and switched gears into drive, her eyes glued to the mirror instead of the road ahead even as she pressed her foot gently on the gas pedal._

_Her chest ached as she watched the magic surround her friends and family, the people who she loved so much and would never see again – who she wouldn’t even remember in a few seconds. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she wished that everything could be different – that they could all stay together and have the life they were meant to have. They were supposed to be a family and have their happy ending. This wasn’t it._

_The car crossed the town line seconds before the magic reached it. Emma swallowed hard, blinking away the remaining tears from her eyes as she sent Henry a sideways smile. “Next stop New York City, kid.”_

(~)(~)(~)

A loud beeping noise was slowly pulling Emma from sleep, but she wasn’t ready to greet the day just yet. Reaching out, she swatted at the alarm clock until it mercifully stopped beeping and then she snuggled deeper into her pillow with a content sigh. She’d slept in a lot of places over the past twenty-nine and a half years, but this bed was definitely the best one she’d ever had. Emma mentally rolled her eyes at how ridiculous she was being and decided she could just write it off as sleepiness.

She started to drift back to sleep, ignoring the voice that reminded her that she needed to get up and make sure Henry got out the door for school on time. But she still had a few minutes. Pushing aside her thoughts, Emma was about to give in to the haze of sleep when movement from the other side of the bed startled her and her eyes flew open as an arm settled itself around her waist, a warm body pressing into her back.

What the hell? Emma clamped down on the urge to scream because she knew Henry was in the next room and she didn’t want to scare him. Her heart pounded frantically in her chest as she shifted as quietly as possible, her eyes trailing over the bare arm that was holding her rather possessively until she saw a messy head of dark hair and a familiar face sleeping beside her. “Hook?!”

He muttered something into his pillow and then managed to shift even closer to her, his face a breath away from hers as Emma’s eyes widened to the point that she wondered if it was possible for them to fall right out of her head. Hook was in her bed. What was Hook doing in her bed? More importantly, how was it possible that she even recognized that it’s Hook in her bed?

The curse was supposed to erase her memories of Storybrooke and everyone she’d met there. Emma’s heart ached just thinking about the goodbyes she’d shared with everyone at the town border. She remembered watching the curse take them away and then… _nothing_. But here she was with Hook sleeping beside her like he didn’t have a care in the world and she knew her parents were Snow White and Prince Charming and Regina was the Evil Queen and Henry’s adoptive mother and…what the hell was going on?

“Hook, wake up.” He made another unintelligible noise, but didn’t move. Emma sighed and placed her hand on his shoulder. “Wake up,” she ordered as she began to shake him with more force than necessary, but the panic that was rising steadily inside of her was taking priority over his comfort at the moment.

His blue eyes flew open and Emma held her breath, waiting to see how he’d react to finding her in bed beside him. “What’s the matter, love?” he asked. His voice was hoarse and sleep addled, but there was nothing in his tone that indicated the oddness of their current state.

Emma just stared at him, not sure where to even begin because she had no idea what was happening. “Do you remember yesterday?” she asked carefully, her eyes searching his for any sign that he knew what she was talking about. “We’re not supposed to be here.”

A flash of understanding crossed his face, but before Emma could be relieved, he reached out and brushed his knuckles across her cheek. “Is this about the bachelor party? I thought I more than made that up to you last night.” He sent her a knowing look and ran his tongue across his bottom lip in a gesture that could only be described as completely obscene.

Emma felt something hot and needy stir low in her belly and she decided that no one had any right to look that appealing first thing in the morning with his hair sticking up at odd angles and those damn blue eyes and that stupid tongue of his. _No_ , she hissed at her subconscious or whatever the hell it was inside of her that had spun this particular train of thought. She ordered herself to focus. “Bachelor party,” she repeated.

“It got a little out of hand at the Rabbit Hole,” Hook admitted with a sheepish grin. “Dave’s alcohol tolerance is rather low, but as the best mate, I should have been watching him more carefully. I apologize for rousing you at such a late hour.”

Her mouth fell open and Emma wondered how it was possible that this conversation had gotten even stranger. Not only was Captain Hook in her bed like he belonged there, but he thought she was angry because of something that had happened at her _father’s_ bachelor party because he was the best man – _mate_ – unless there was a different Dave in whatever the hell this scenario was. “Dave as in my father?” she asked carefully.

“Father?” Hook repeated. He barked out a laugh and then winced, bringing his hand up to rub his head. “Maybe I overindulged as well,” he muttered. “Dave does have his fatherly moments, doesn’t he? Always lecturing about this or that or giving those inspiring speeches of his.” Hook’s mouth curved into a fond smile. “I imagine that he and Mary Margaret will want to start a family soon after the wedding.”

So her parents were together, but they weren’t married. They also didn’t know they were her parents, which was another huge problem to add to her list. But Hook had mentioned the Rabbit Hole so they were definitely back in Storybrooke. Emma ran her hands over her face and tried to figure out what to do. Something had obviously gone wrong with the curse and brought them back or maybe they’d never really left. She certainly didn’t recall getting to New York – just driving over the town line with magic in her rearview mirror.

“Okay so there was a bachelor party last night that got out of hand and you called me. How did we end up back here?” Emma asked. She needed to try to put the pieces together so she could come up with some kind of plan to fix it.

Hook raised an eyebrow. “Are you sure you weren’t the one drinking, love?” He trailed his knuckles across her cheek again and Emma was unnerved by the calming effect the gesture had as she found herself leaning into his touch. “I most certainly was not the one to place the call to the sheriff, but once you arrived and reminded Dave that his behavior was not becoming of a deputy, the party was over and we came back here.”

“Okay,” Emma said again, deciding it was best to halt the story there before he got to whatever he’d been alluding to earlier with his tongue. Stop thinking about his tongue, she scolded herself. “How long have we lived here?”

“In Storybrooke?” Hook caught his bottom lip between his teeth as he considered it. “I’m not entirely sure, but it certainly feels like forever. Emma, are you feeling all right? Maybe you should go back to sleep and I’ll get Henry off to school.”

“Henry.” Relief washed over her at the mention of her son’s name. At least he was here with her and since he’d been in the car with her when they’d attempted to leave Storybrooke, there was a good chance that he had his memories too. Emma needed to find out. “It’s okay, Hook. I’ll take care of him.”

“Hook?” he repeated, his eyebrows rising as he stared at her like she’d grown a second head, “As in Captain Hook?”

This had to be some kind of reverse déjà vu, Emma thought as her mind drifted to the first time he’d officially introduced himself to her in the Enchanted Forest. She decided to play it out to gage his reaction. “Yes, Captain Hook,” she confirmed. “Does that name ring any bells with you?”

“No,” Hook replied, drawing the word out and once again looking at her like she’d lost her mind. Maybe she had. “The only Captain Hook that I’m familiar with is the one from Henry’s Peter Pan movie, but it’s been ages since we watched that. Should I be concerned that you’ve developed some sort of cartoon fetish? Perhaps I should get a bad perm.”

Emma just gaped at him as she recalled taunting him in Neverland. He was clearly amused by the conversation and she’d assume that he was messing with her if it wasn’t for the concern that she saw in his eyes. Despite the teasing, he’d been watching her closely and knew something was wrong. She just had no idea how to tell him what that was without sounding more insane than she already did. “That won’t be necessary. Let’s just blame it on lack of sleep,” she suggested.

He searched her face for something and Emma did her best to look relaxed even as she continued freaking out internally. “If you’re sure, love…” He waited a beat and Emma managed a small smile that she hoped was convincing enough. “I should get ready for work.” Hook started to move away and then changed his mind, shifting closer and leaning in so his mouth hovered against her ear.

“If pirate fantasies are your thing, perhaps there’s a more suitable one out there. Unless of course the idea of me replacing my wooden hand with a hook appeals to you…” His lips closed over her earlobe and Emma’s entire body shuddered, her eyes sliding shut before she realized what she was doing.

“No pirate fantasies,” she insisted, giving him a gentle shove to try and put some space between them again. It was impossible to have a coherent thought when he was so close. Hook just laughed and sent her a knowing look as he pushed the covers aside and got out of bed, which presented another problem for her because he was completely naked. She bit down on her tongue to stop herself from gasping and was eternally grateful that he didn’t seem to notice as he walked toward the bathroom door.

Emma’s face grew hot as her eyes trailed over him and even though she knew it was probably all kinds of wrong, she couldn’t seem to make herself look away. That warmth fired up in her belly again and a treacherous voice inside her head scolded her for not getting more details about what had happened once they’d returned from the Rabbit Hole.

A few seconds later, the door closed at his back and she let out a shaky breath. She was going to file her blatant staring and inappropriate train of thought away for things to worry about at a later date because there were more pressing matters at hand. She pushed aside the blankets and her face burned even hotter when she realized that she was naked too.

“Not going to think about it,” Emma muttered as she got up and crossed the room to the dresser. She opened the top drawer, grabbed the first bra and pair of panties that she found, pulled them on and then moved to the closet. She selected jeans and a blue sweater, dressed quickly and opened the door to the hallway. It was only then that she realized that in addition to the naked pirate in her bed, the apartment was something else that she’d never experienced before.

The master bedroom was at the far end of a long hallway. She passed a second bathroom and a bedroom that was obviously Henry’s along with a small laundry room before turning a corner and finding herself in the main room. Like her parents’ loft, it was one large room that served as a kitchen, dining room and living room. Henry was sitting in an overstuffed armchair, eating cereal and gesturing animatedly as he talked to whoever was sitting on the couch.

Emma tensed and quickened her pace, moving around the table and chairs to see who her son was talking to. Her eyes widened when they fell on David. He was wearing what she assumed were his clothes from the previous evening, which were severely wrinkled and torn in certain spots. His hair was sticking up, his eyes were bloodshot and it was pretty clear that Henry was talking too loud for his hangover, but he was doing his best to follow the conversation.

“Morning,” she called uncertainly, hating that she had no idea what to expect from either one of them. David winced and sent her an apologetic look as Henry jumped from his chair, nearly knocking over the remnants of his cereal before placing the bowl on the table.

“Mom, there you are.” Henry grinned and gave her a quick hug. “I need that permission slip for the trip to the lake today. Where’s Killian?” he continued, not giving Emma a chance to comment on the permission slip. “He said he was going to let me take his good binoculars for bird watching.”

Killian? Bird watching? That certainly answered the question of whether not Henry had his memories. Emma saw David rubbing his head and decided to try her luck with him. “I think Killian has your permission slip,” she said, figuring if he didn’t, he’d have better luck finding it than she would. “Why don’t you go ask him? He’s getting ready for work.”

That was enough to send Henry bounding down the hall and Emma moved into the living room, taking a seat in the chair her son had previously been occupying. “Rough morning?” she asked her father. Emma was torn between being amused that Prince Charming had one hell of a hangover and continuing to freak out because she seemed to be the only one who knew that something was very, very wrong.

“Emma, I’m so sorry about this,” David apologized. “Last night…” He paused, clearly searching for an explanation and not finding one so he just hung his head in shame. “And I know it’s asking a lot, but if you could maybe not mention to Mary Margaret about the fight in the alley, I’d really appreciate it.”

Fight in the alley? Her father had gotten into an alley fight? This morning just kept getting weirder. “Don’t worry. I won’t say anything. But maybe don’t do it again?” she suggested. Now it made a little more sense why the sheriff had to intervene. “Won’t she be worried that you didn’t come home last night?”

David shook his head and clearly regretted it, reaching to rub his temple once more. “Killian told her I’d be sleeping on your couch and not to worry. I should probably get going though so I can change and head into work. I’ll make sure all the paperwork is done while you’re at Regina’s.”

“Regina’s?” Emma asked. David frowned and she saw concern in his eyes similar to the way Hook – _Killian_ – had been looking at her earlier. “Lack of sleep,” she explained, only feeling slightly bad about adding to David’s guilt. There was an irrational part of her that was annoyed that they were just going about their lives like this was normal and she was stuck figuring out what the hell happened. But that was for her to deal with later. “I’m supposed to go to Regina’s today? Did something happen?”

“No, it’s just the monthly status report to the mayor. You drew the short straw,” David teased as he got to his feet and immediately placed his hand on the couch to steady himself. “But I can go if you’d like. It’s the least I can do.”

Emma shook her head. “I don’t mind.” She figured she might as well see what Regina’s life was like in this new version of Storybrooke. “Do you…”

“Come on, we’re going to be late!” Henry rushed back into the room, his backpack on his back and a pair of binoculars hanging from his neck. “I want to make sure to get a good seat on the bus for the field trip.” He paused to give Emma another hug and then practically ran to the door, tugging it open.

“You heard the lad,” Hook said as he moved into the room, causing Emma’s jaw to drop once more when she saw that he was dressed in jeans and a long sleeved black t-shirt beneath a charcoal gray vest. Aside from the robe and hospital gown, it was the only time she’d ever seen him dressed in anything from this realm and of course he looked like he’d stepped out of the pages of some fashion catalog and why the hell was her heart beating so fast?

She pushed the thought aside as his voice brought her attention back to the situation at hand when he addressed her father. “Dave, would you like to walk with us to pick up your truck?” He smirked when the other man just glared at him and muttered that he needed to lower the volume.

David walked to the door, sending Emma another quick smile and a promise to see her at the station before he ducked out, clearly intending to give them a minute alone. Emma glanced back at Hook – _Killian_ – but she didn’t get a chance to say anything before his mouth was on hers. She let out a surprised gasp and felt him smirk against her lips. “Enjoy your morning, love.” He gave her another quick kiss and then walked out the door, pulling it closed at his back as Emma just stared after him, her lips still tingling from his.

(~)(~)(~)

Emma parked her yellow bug in front of the mayor’s house and made her way up the walk, nearly slowing to a crawl by the time she finally stepped onto the porch. She’d replayed her morning talk with Hook – _Killian_ – she was really going to have to work on that – over and over again on the drive over along with her brief chat with David. Neither man seemed to have the slightest clue that things were not what they seem and Henry didn’t either, which already made this different from the first curse.

Regina was a wild card. She’d cast the first curse so of course she’d known the truth, but Emma assumed that she hadn’t played a part in this one, assuming it was a curse. If she had, Emma was certain that she wouldn’t have done anything to risk her connection to Henry. Pan had wanted to take away their memories completely, but that hadn’t happened either, not exactly. Rumplestiltskin was gone so did that mean that someone else had done this? Who else had that kind of magic?

“Are you planning on standing out here all day?”

The sound of Regina’s voice caused Emma to jump and she nearly fell backward off the porch before she managed to catch herself. The mayor stood in the doorway dressed in a black pants suit over a red blouse, her arms folded across her chest as she waited for Emma to answer her question. “Sorry, I was distracted. We need to talk.” She didn’t wait for an invitation, just slipped past Regina and moved into the house.

“Do come in, Miss Swan,” Regina muttered. She closed the door and then moved around Emma, motioning with her hand that she should follow her as she walked toward the kitchen, her heels clicking against the floor. “What brings you here this morning?” she asked.

Emma opened her mouth to remind her that they had a meeting and then immediately closed it, waiting for Regina to turn around and face her. No one was more meticulous about appointments and keeping a schedule than she was and she clearly hadn’t been expecting her. Maybe there was someone who knew the truth after all. “Regina, what do you remember about yesterday?”

She saw the other woman’s back tense before she turned around and met Emma’s gaze. “It was a day like any other in Storybrooke. Was it not?”

There it is, Emma thought smugly. Regina was holding back on purpose because she knew something was off and she wanted to find out what Emma knew before she said anything. Normally, Emma might offer her some leeway, but after her morning, she was not about to beat around the bush. “Except for the part where Rumplestiltskin sacrificed himself to kill Peter Pan and you used your magic to stop his curse and send everyone home while I left town with Henry.”

Regina sighed. “Except for that,” she muttered before she walked over to the cabinet and began pulling out baking ingredients. “Tell me exactly what you remember after you drove out of town.”

“Nothing,” Emma replied. She took a seat at the counter and picked up an apple, rolling it between her fingers as she watched Regina gathering bowls and a pan for whatever she was planning on making. “I remember saying goodbye and the pain of losing everyone and then the next thing I know, I’m waking up this morning in bed with…” She hesitated, color heating her cheeks as she debated whether or not the information was vital to the conversation, even though she knew damn well that it was. “…Hook.”

“And?” Regina motioned impatiently with her hand before picking up an egg and breaking it over one of the bowls. “How did you know something was wrong and it wasn’t just a normal day?”

“Seriously?” Emma asked incredulously. “Do you think I wake up in bed with Hook often?” The look on Regina’s face confirmed that was exactly what she thought and Emma felt her blush deepen. “Hook and I are not – we – it’s not like that,” she stammered. Her mind chose that moment to linger on the memory of him getting out of bed naked and she swallowed hard, wishing there was more air in the room. “It’s never happened before.”

Regina rolled her eyes and finished with the eggs, moving on to measure the butter she needed. “I take it that he was acting like it was a normal occurrence.”

Emma nodded. “He knew something was wrong with me and he assumed I was mad about last night.” She quickly filled Regina in on the bachelor party antics and skipped over the pirate innuendo to finding David on her couch. “Henry was excited about his school field trip and didn’t seem to notice anything was out of the ordinary. How is this possible? He was with me when we crossed the town life. Why doesn’t he have his memories? Why do you?”

“That’s the million dollar question,” Regina replied. She grabbed a whisk and started to mix the batter in the bowl. “I take it that David has no idea that he’s your father.” She glanced up and Emma shook her head. “But he’s engaged to your mother. None of this makes any sense.”

“Hook – _Killian_ – doesn’t seem to have any past memories either. I asked him how long we’ve lived in Storybrooke and he said it felt like forever, but he couldn’t recall an exact amount of time.” Emma frowned as something else occurred to her. “Wait, how did you know something was off? Was it just because you woke up here in Storybrooke?”

“Egeena?”

Both women’s heads turned toward the doorway and Emma’s eyes widened for what felt like the millionth time that morning when she saw the little boy standing there. She guessed he was around three or four, dressed in Iron Man pajamas and he sent a shy look in Emma’s direction before gifting Regina with a large dimpled smile. “Daddy’s still sleeping,” he told her.

Emma watched as Regina’s entire demeanor seemed to soften as she walked over to the boy and lifted him up, balancing him on her hip as she moved back into the kitchen. “Well I guess we’re just going to have breakfast without him then. Would you like some orange juice, Roland?”

He nodded and Regina sent Emma a pointed look and it took her a moment to realize Regina wanted her to get it. Emma dropped the apple on the counter and got up from the stool. She grabbed the juice from the refrigerator and then opened a few cabinets until she found one that was filled with children’s cups, something she was willing to bet Regina hadn’t had in there before. She poured the juice and set it down in front of Roland as Regina settled him onto the stool.

“Thank you,” Roland said politely and rewarded her with one of his dimpled smiles. “Is Henry here?”

The hopefulness in his voice made something inside of her ache. Emma returned his smile, even as she shook her head. “Sorry, but he’s at school right now. I’m sure he’ll come see you soon.” There wasn’t much she knew about this new reality, but she was willing to bet Henry would love playing with Roland.

Roland nodded and took a sip of his juice, his eyes following Regina’s hand as she went back to stirring the mixing bowl. “Daddy said he doesn’t feel well and Uncle Kian is the devil.”

“Did he now?” Regina asked. Roland nodded proudly and Regina reached out with her free hand to ruffle his hair. “I’m sure he just needs some sleep and he’s right about Uncle Killian being a bad influence.” She shot a glare in Emma’s direction like it was somehow her fault and Emma sent one right back, the urge to defend Killian – _Hook_ – ugh – nearly overwhelming her. But she kept her mouth shut since there was a child present.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you go and watch some cartoons in the living room?” Regina suggested. “I’ll come get you when breakfast is ready.” Roland’s smile widened and he nodded enthusiastically as he slipped off his stool and toddled out of the room.

“I guess that answers my earlier question,” Emma commented once Roland was safely out of earshot. She raised an eyebrow at Regina. “Who is his father?” She was confident she’d never met Roland before.

Regina didn’t answer right away, her eyes drifting to the mixing bowl like it was suddenly the most interesting thing in the world. Emma noticed faint color on the former evil queen’s face. “Regina, who is his father?” she asked again.

“I don’t know his name,” Regina hissed. She set the bowl down and glared at Emma like this was her fault too. “You’re not the only one who woke up in an unfamiliar situation this morning. I don’t know his name because he’s been sleeping, but it’s not the first time I’ve seen him. A long time ago, Tinker Bell took me to meet a man that she told me was my soulmate. He had a lion tattoo on his arm…the same tattoo the man upstairs has.”

Emma just stared at her, completely floored by all of that. The warning look in Regina’s eyes made it clear that she needed to tread carefully. Emma decided against commenting on the soulmate thing for now since they had much bigger problems. “And Roland?” she asked.

Regina shrugged. “He was more forthcoming with answers, but I didn’t think it was wise to ask him what his father’s name was. He seems completely at home here and now we know that he’s familiar with Henry and your pirate boyfriend.” Emma bristled and Regina smirked before her expression sobered once more. “We need to figure out if anyone else still has memories.”

“How?” Emma asked only to be met with another one of Regina’s dirty looks. “I take it you think I need to go out there and talk to more people?” she guessed. Emma wished she’d just stayed in bed and that was all it took for her traitorous mind to flash back to Hook beside her, his mouth against her ear. Damnit. “I guess I’ll head into town and see who I run into. Are you going to stay here?”

“For now,” Regina replied. Her eyes drifted toward the doorway and Emma figured she probably had enough on her plate for the time being with Roland and the mystery man in her bed so it was going to be up to her to try and gather more information.

“I’ll call you if I find anything. You’ll do the same?” Emma asked. Regina nodded and Emma made her way out of the kitchen and let herself out the front door. She pulled her keys from her pocket and debated her next stop as she walked toward the car. David was at the sheriff’s station, Mary Margaret was with her students, Killian was at work…wherever that was. She wondered what kind of job a former pirate had. She was going to have to find a way to ask him.

But first, she was going to head for the pawn shop to see if there was any chance Mr. Gold had returned.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has left kudos and comments on this and to everyone who has bookmarked it! It makes me so happy that you're enjoying the story so far!

The chime above the door signaling her entrance was the only sound Emma heard as she made her way into the pawn shop. The place appeared to be empty, which was nothing new. It wasn’t like Mr. Gold usually had a ton of customers, but there was no one behind the counter either. The ‘open’ sign was in the window so someone was there, but she had no idea what she would say to Belle if she saw her.

_Hey…is your true love dead or alive?_ That wasn’t exactly a solid conversation starter whether Belle had her memories or not. Emma moved further into the shop, glancing at the odds and ends that had once belonged to various Enchanted Forest residents. Nothing in particular stood out, which was also nothing new. She fought the urge to let out a frustrated sigh and took a deep breath instead. _You’re the sheriff, Emma. All you need to do is find answers. You can…_

“What brings you by today, dearie?”

Emma’s head jerked up at the sound of Gold’s voice and she whirled around to face the counter as he stepped out from behind the curtain, dressed in his usual suit with his cane in hand. She couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping open as visions of him stabbing Peter Pan and then disappearing in a cloud of magic flashed through her head. And now he was standing in front of her like none of that had ever happened.

She was more confused than ever, but as crazy as all of this was, there was a part of her that was incredibly relieved to see him alive. It didn’t make sense, but nothing about this day did. Gold was still watching her, waiting for her to answer his question and Emma wasn’t sure what to do. How did one go about asking a person if he remembered killing his father to save all their lives the day before?

“I just had a few questions about yesterday,” Emma said. That’s how she’d started with Hoo – _Killian_ – and Regina so it seemed like as good of a tactic as any. She simply left it at that to see how Gold would respond.

Gold raised an eyebrow. “Has a crime been committed, Sheriff? I heard there was a ruckus at the Rabbit Hole, but I can assure you that Belle and I were enjoying a quiet evening in while that was happening.”

Emma watched him carefully, trying to use her superpower to see if he was lying. He seemed amused, but she didn’t detect any hidden meanings or double speak. Gold was alive and he’d been home with Belle and yet he still knew that there’d been a problem at the Rabbit Hole. Then again, news traveled fast in Storybrooke and Gold had always made it his business to know everyone else’s.

“There hasn’t been any crime,” Emma replied. She wondered if Belle was there or if she was already at the library. It probably wouldn’t hurt to talk to her too. She opened her mouth to ask and then stopped when she spotted something silver out of the corner of her eye. She turned to the table nearest to her and swallowed hard when she saw the familiar hook sitting there. Emma picked it up and turned back to Gold, her eyes studying his face. “What’s this?”

His expression didn’t change. “It’s a hook,” Gold said, speaking slowly like she was a child attempting to learn a new word.

“I know that,” Emma snapped. As far as she could tell, he wasn’t messing with her, but Gold had always been an enigma. Maybe she should have just waited until Regina had time to question him. Too late now, she thought as her grip tightened on the hook. “What is it doing here?” she asked.

“This is a _shop_ ,” Gold replied, drawing out the syllables in the word. He made a sweeping gesture with his hand toward the tables spread out around them. “I sell things and people buy them. One man’s treasure and all that,” he muttered. “Are you in the market for a hook, Sheriff?”

Her mind went somewhere it absolutely should not and Emma felt color seeping into her cheeks. What the hell was wrong with her? Emma refused to meet Gold’s gaze as she gave him a stiff nod. “Yes, how much do you want for it?” Considering she’d already tried the Captain Hook angle with Killian earlier, Emma wasn’t sure what good the actual hook would do, but the idea of leaving it in Gold’s shop bothered her. Emma knew Killian would not want something of his in Gold’s possession, no matter how polite he was being.

“It’s on the house, dearie,” Gold replied and that got Emma to meet his gaze because there was always a price when it came to him. She was surprised to see him giving her a genuine smile. That was definitely new. “Just make sure Henry doesn’t hurt himself with it. Or Killian,” he added.

This was officially the weirdest day ever, Emma thought. She didn’t know what to say so she just slipped the hook into her bag and nodded at him. “Thanks.” He responded with a nod of his own and then moved back behind the curtain. Emma turned and practically ran out of the shop, pushing the door open and accidentally slamming it directly into someone on the sidewalk. “I’m sorry – Neal.”

“Hey Emma,” Neal replied, greeting her with a familiar grin. “Where’s the fire? Or was it just an unpleasant conversation with my dad?” he joked.

Emma didn’t know what to say. It hadn’t even occurred to her that Neal would be one of the people she’d run into, but she supposed it made sense. He should have disappeared with the curse like everyone else. Things had been so awkward between them after Neverland and now he was standing in front of her with an easygoing smile, making jokes about his father. “Not exactly,” she said. “It’s just been a weird morning.”

Neal nodded, slipping his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Yeah, I imagine it was after last night. How bad was David’s hangover this morning?” he asked as another grin crossed his face.

“It wasn’t pretty,” Emma replied with a laugh. She immediately frowned, wondering where the hell this easy conversation had come from. They were chatting like old friends, something that would not have been possible twenty-four hours earlier when she’d refused to have lunch with him and then everything had gone to hell.

“Poor guy is never going to live this one down,” Neal commented, oblivious to her quick change in demeanor. “Anyway, you seem to be in a hurry so I won’t keep you. But tell Killian that I’m going to collect on that rematch that he owes me. See you later, Emma.”

“See you,” Emma muttered as she watched him disappear into the shop, the chimes ringing once more. Neal had been at her father’s bachelor party and apparently had a friendly rivalry with Killian that had nothing to do with her. As she tried to absorb that information, Emma felt another wave of relief wash over her. She wasn’t ready to attempt to make sense of the feeling so she pushed it down and started in the direction of the library.

(~)(~)(~)

Emma spent the next few hours seeking out various townspeople to see if anyone other than her and Regina knew something was wrong. Belle had confirmed Gold’s story that they’d been at home the night before, most of the dwarves were dealing with hangovers, Marco had his usual kind words and Archie talked to her like it was any other day in Storybrooke. By the time she walked into Granny’s a little after one, Emma was starting to wonder if _she_ was the one who was crazy.

The lunchtime rush was still going, but Emma managed to snag a booth in the back of the diner. Ruby hurried by and promised to be right with her, pausing only to drop menus on the table before she moved onto the next one. Emma picked one up without bothering to tell her friend that she’d left two by mistake. Her stomach growled to remind her that she’d skipped breakfast and she couldn’t really remember the last time she’d eaten in either reality. Emma was debating between sandwiches when a shadow fell over the table and she looked up just in time for Killian’s lips to connect with hers.

“Hey beautiful,” he said with a smile before sliding into the booth across from her and reaching for the second menu. “My apologies for being late, but things were on the hectic side.” His eyes shifted from her to the menu and Emma couldn’t seem to do anything other than stare at him, her lips once again tingling from a simple kiss. She wasn’t even sure she could add that to her file of things to worry about later because it was already bursting.

Despite his comment about things being hectic, Emma was positive she’d never seen Killian look this carefree. He was still smiling as he studied the menu, eyes bright. His hair was only slightly less messy than it had been when he’d gotten out of bed that morning, probably a combination of his fingers and the wind, she guessed. His cheeks had a touch of color that she wanted to attribute to the wind as well which made her wonder if he’d been outside all morning. That would make sense if he had a job that involved being outside, probably something by the docks. But how the hell was she supposed to ask him when she should know already?

“Earth to Emma,” Ruby called. “Stare at your boyfriend on your own time.” She tapped her notepad impatiently and Emma’s entire face was suddenly on fire when she realized that she was blatantly staring and Ruby and Killian were both watching her. God, she was never going to hear the end of this. Sure enough, his smile had turned into a familiar smirk and she didn’t care for the way Ruby was laughing at her either. So much for girl power or honor among friends or whatever the code was, she thought.

“I’ll have the grilled cheese with fries and water,” Emma told her. She closed the menu and pushed it toward Ruby as Killian ordered a cheeseburger and water as well. Ruby sent one last smirk over her shoulder before she sauntered to the counter to put in their orders. Emma glared at Ruby’s back and then forced herself to meet Killian’s smug gaze. “Stop it.”

He just laughed and reached for her hand, bringing it to his lips for a tender kiss that made her entire body shudder in a way that was so not okay. Emma desperately wanted that water she’d ordered, preferably with a major side of ice. Killian kept her hand in his, toying with her fingers. “How was your meeting with the mayor?”

“Fine,” Emma replied, distracted by his touch. It was so simple and intimate and exactly the kind of thing that she did not do _ever_. But apparently all the rules were different in this new reality. _Focus, Emma_. “Actually, Regina and I didn’t have much time to talk about town business. Roland needed her attention because his daddy was sick in bed thanks to Uncle Killian’s bad influence.” She arched an eyebrow.

Killian laughed again, deeper this time, his dimples flashing in his cheeks and her chest was suddenly tight in that way that she didn’t know how to explain again. How was it possible that she was holding hands with a three-hundred-year-old pirate and he was laughing over an insult that had been passed along from a child – a child who was living with Regina because his father was her soulmate? Where had this life come from and why was she practically the only person who knew it wasn’t real?

“In my defense, love, it was Dave who suggested that third round of shots and those were the ones that did Robin in,” Killian explained. He considered things as he ran his tongue across his bottom lip and Emma cursed herself when her eyes followed the movement. “Of course that was the round that did Dave in as well so perhaps I shoulder some of the responsibility.”

“ _Perhaps_ ,” Emma commented, doing her best to sound stern, but she couldn’t seem to stop herself from smiling at him. He looked so damn proud of himself and it was a pretty funny to imagine her father, the prince, the leader, encouraging others to overindulge in shots. Then again, there wasn’t a doubt in her mind that Killian had been the true ringleader and judging by the look he was giving her, he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Ruby brought them the water they’d ordered and promised their food would be up shortly. Emma gently pulled her hand back from Killian and picked up her glass, drinking half of it in one gulp and she saw him raise an eyebrow, but he didn’t comment. She set the glass down and decided to try another angle to gage his reaction. “I stopped by the pawn shop this morning to talk to Gold.”

Killian took a sip of his water, but his face didn’t change as he watched her, clearly waiting to hear the rest of the story. She recalled how Gold hadn’t so much as flinched when she’d picked up the hook and then he’d mentioned Killian in the same breath as Henry. Apparently the ugly history between the two men had not carried over to this version of reality. She supposed that was something else that should bring her relief and it did, but she still knew none of this was real.

Emma realized Killian was still waiting for her to finish the story so she spoke quickly. “I thought he might have some information about a case, but it was a dead end.” She shrugged, hoping he wouldn’t question the abrupt dismissal of a topic she’d started. “I saw Neal too.”

The smirk returned to his face. “Did he mention the rematch that he has been requesting?” Emma nodded and Killian laughed. “Dave and I teamed against Neal and Robin for a game of billiards and even with Dave’s lesser skills holding me back, we were victorious by a wide margin.” He held out his glass toward Emma and she picked hers up and tapped it against his.

She took another sip of water and once again tried to make sense out of everything in her mind. There didn’t seem to be conflicts between anyone and that was a good thing. Everyone she’d talked to that morning seemed lighter than normal, even Regina. Emma knew she had to count herself in that group as well because as weird as all of this was, and it was weird as hell, she couldn’t help getting swept up in the enthusiasm. It was just _nice_ to see everyone living their lives without anger and vengeance or sadness or heartbreak.

But that didn’t make it real, the rational part of her brain countered. It had to be a curse or a spell or something. Gold had survived so maybe that had changed things. She didn’t know how that would work, but maybe Regina would have some idea. Emma wondered if she’d figured out Robin’s name yet or who he was – Robin _Hood_ was the first fairy tale character who popped into her head and she decided that made just as much sense as Captain Hook sitting across from her so it was probably true.

“Emma?” His voice pulled her out of her head and Emma realized something else that was different here. Killian almost always called her ‘Swan’ and he hadn’t done it once that day. She wasn’t sure why she missed it, but she did. Emma pushed that thought aside before she got lost in her head again.

“Sorry, did you say something?” she asked.

The smile faded from his face and his eyes filled with concern as they searched hers. Emma couldn’t help feeling guilty for ruining the mood. She really needed to pull herself together, but it was hard when he could read her so easily. Open book, he’d said that first day on the beanstalk and she’d proved him right time and time again. “You seem a million miles away. What’s troubling you, love?”

He sounded so sincere that Emma wanted to tell him. She wanted to tell him that none of this was real and they’d been cursed again and this time he’d gotten swept up in it too. Emma knew it would sound completely insane, but maybe he’d know that she was telling the truth. Maybe she didn’t have to carry all of this weight on her shoulders. Maybe –

“Sorry this took so long,” Ruby interrupted as she set their plates down in front of them. She lifted the pitcher of water from the tray and refilled their glasses as well. “If you need anything else, just yell.” She carried the tray back to the counter and Emma felt her nerve slip away.

“I think I’m just overtired,” Emma told Killian. She saw a flicker of something in his eyes and realized that he knew that she wasn’t being honest with him. Fresh guilt tightened in her chest and she found herself reaching across the table for his hand before she could stop herself. “I’m sorry. You have my full attention now.”

He watched her for a moment and then nodded, lifting their joined hands to his lips once more. “You should take advantage of Dave’s remorse and spend the afternoon at home resting. Henry will be on the field trip until four and if I wasn’t needed at the docks, I would join you.”

Emma doubted there would be any rest involved if Killian joined her in an empty apartment and somehow she managed to keep herself from turning bright red at the thought. Maybe she was finally getting the hang of this after all or maybe she was too focused on what he’d said about the docks. She’d been right about that and it made sense that he was working near the water. “How has work been today?” she asked, hoping he’d drop enough details for her to piece together what he did.

“Exhausting,” Killian replied. “Mr. Smee and I are still cataloguing all the damage last week’s storm did to the vessels in the harbor. Repairs are going to be quite costly. We should have the final tally for you by the end of the day tomorrow for your report.” He sent her a quick smile and then picked up his cheeseburger.

She took a bite of her sandwich, grateful for the lull in conversation so she could process all of that. It all sounded so normal and it was hard to reconcile that they’d just gotten back from a hellish trip to Neverland only to be faced with a new curse and now everything was different. Emma wished she knew what she was supposed to do. She was the _freaking_ savior so it was up to her to fix this, but she had no idea how, especially since no one knew anything was wrong.

The rest of the meal passed in surprisingly comfortable silence, even as her mind ran in ten directions, trying to find some kind of solution or cause. Killian took care of the check with Ruby and then held his hand out to Emma. She let him help her up and he kept her hand in his as they walked out of the diner toward her car. “Go home and rest, love,” he said before he leaned in and kissed her goodbye.

Emma was ready for the kiss this time, but that did nothing to stop the electricity from shooting through her the second his lips touched hers. Their kiss in Neverland had been electric too, but she’d chalked that up to the heat of the moment and all of the other excuses she’d made. She was fresh out now so she didn’t think about it as she wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, a soft moan escaping from her throat as her fingertips teased the hair at the nape of his neck.

If he was surprised by her enthusiasm, he didn’t show it. Killian slipped his hand into her hair, tilting her head back as his tongue teased hers. He settled his fake hand against her hip and continued exploring her mouth until air became an issue for both of them. His forehead pressed against hers and Emma opened her eyes to find him smiling at her as the sounds of their harsh breathing filled the air. “You’re making it difficult for me to remember why I should go back to the docks.”

She laughed and gave him a light shove. “Go back to work, Killian. I’ll see you later.” Emma slipped her hand into her bag to pull out her keys and the second her fingers closed around the hook, her expression sobered. God, what the hell was wrong with her? She should not be kissing him in the middle of the parking lot like they didn’t have a care in the world.

Her hand fumbled around until her fingers found the key ring and she unlocked the door, surprised when Killian reached around her and opened it. Emma glanced back at him and her heart thundered against the wall of her chest when she saw the hunger in his eyes. “Drive safely, love,” he whispered, his breath hot against her ear. Emma just nodded and slid into the car.

Killian closed the door and then turned and walked away, heading in the direction of the docks. Emma sat behind the wheel and just stared after him, wondering how much longer she was going to be able to keep pretending this was normal.

(~)(~)(~)

Emma decided to take Killian’s advice and headed back to their apartment, but she didn’t want to rest. She spent several hours going through every nook and cranny, trying to find something – _anything_ – that would give her some hints about their life. Aside from an embarrassing amount of photos scattered throughout the apartment, there weren’t many clues. Killian was extremely neat. His side of the closet and all of his drawers were well organized and hers looked like a hurricane had blown through them.

But there wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, not that she really knew what she was looking for. It wasn’t like there was going to be a big flashing sign that screamed this whole thing was a lie. Emma knelt down beside the bookshelves and began putting the books back where they’d been along with the photos in front of them.

There was one photo that was from a birthday party for Henry and she was standing between Killian and her parents, laughing at something while Neal helped Henry cut the cake. Gold and Belle were standing near Neal and Regina was sitting at the table with Roland in her lap, a man Emma didn’t recognize, but assumed was Robin, sat beside her. They were all smiling like one big happy family.

She couldn’t seem to stop the tears from welling up in her eyes as her chest tightened. It was a beautiful picture, but none of this was real and that wasn’t fair. Everyone looked so happy and that was what Emma had always wanted so how was she supposed to take that away from everyone?

The sound of a key in the door made her jump and Emma quickly put the picture back and brushed the tears from her eyes, getting to her feet as Henry practically ran into the apartment with Mary Margaret right behind him.

“Mom!” he cried excitedly before rushing toward her and wrapping his arms around her waist. “The forest is so cool! We saw all kinds of birds and fish and we learned about different plants. We have to go camping sometime. Is Killian home yet? I want to show you all the pictures.”

Emma smiled and just held him for a moment, her heart bursting with love. Maybe most of their memories weren’t real, but this was. She had her son in her arms and she was incredibly grateful for that. “He’s still at work so maybe you can start on your homework now and then we can look at the pictures when Killian gets here?” she suggested.

“Okay,” Henry agreed. He grinned at her and then turned to wave at Mary Margaret. “See you later,” he called before rushing down the hall to his room. Emma shook her head as she watched him go and then turned to her mother. She was watching Henry as well, a soft smile on her face.

“It was a fun trip,” she told Emma. “How have things been over here today?”

For a brief moment, hope bloomed inside of her as Emma wondered if Mary Margaret was fishing for information. But beating around the bush wasn’t really her thing so if she had any clue that they were under a curse, she’d probably come right out and ask. “It’s been a day. Thanks for bringing Henry home. Do you want some tea or cocoa?”

Mary Margaret shook her head. “I can’t stay or I’ll never get dinner ready on time. I imagine David won’t be much help after last night and yes I know about that,” she added with a smile before Emma could say anything. “Secrets and Storybrooke don’t really go together.”

Confused, Emma started to ask what she was talking about and then she remembered the bachelor party. Her day had been so ridiculous that she’d already forgotten how it started. And there was the flash of Killian in her bed right on cue, she thought as she fought to roll her eyes at just how predictable her mind was at the moment. _Not going to think about that, Emma_.

“Right,” Emma said, shifting her focus back to her mother. “How much trouble is he in?” she asked. Emma had a feeling she already knew the answer. Memory or no memory, curse or no curse, she didn’t see Snow White staying mad at Prince Charming for very long.

“Not as much as I’m going to let him believe he’s in,” Mary Margaret replied. She winked at Emma and motioned toward the door. “I really do need to go. Is seven still okay for dinner tonight?”

Apparently they were having dinner with her parents. Emma briefly considered making an excuse and then thought better of it. Killian already thought she was acting strange and canceling dinner plans might add to his suspicions. Since she still didn’t know what to do about anything, Emma decided to just roll with it. “Seven is great. We’ll be there.”

“Great,” Mary Margaret replied. She moved closer and gave Emma a hug. “Thanks for taking care of David last night. I’ll be happy to return the favor when it’s time for you and Killian to get married.”

Emma’s jaw dropped and familiar panic burned in her chest. She ordered herself to calm down. Her mother was just making a joke and she had no idea why there was _nothing_ funny about it. “I’ll keep that in mind,” she told her, impressed with her ability to speak normally as she pulled back from the hug. “See you tonight.”

Once Mary Margaret left, Emma closed the door behind her and then leaned heavily against it. She closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath. There had to be an explanation for all of this. But until she found it, Emma knew that she was going to have to keep pretending because she certainly didn’t have the heart to ruin everyone else’s lives. It was just dinner with her parents and Killian. She’d slayed a dragon once. How difficult could one dinner be?


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading and leaving kudos and comments. It means a lot that you're enjoying the story!

“Emma, would you mind chopping the tomatoes for the salad, please?” Mary Margaret asked as she turned the oven light on so she could check on the roast. Satisfied, she switched her attention to the mashed potatoes on the stovetop.

“Sure,” Emma agreed, grateful to have something to do other than sit at the counter stewing over how weird this whole thing was. She’d arrived at her parents’ loft with Killian and Henry about thirty minutes earlier and after exchanging quick pleasantries with Mary Margaret, they’d joined David in the living room to watch a hockey game. All three of them were currently glued to the TV like it was life and death.

Mary Margaret hadn’t seemed to mind at all, especially since David jumped up each and every time she’d asked him to do something whether it had been to set the table or grab drinks for Emma and Killian. It was obviously penance for his behavior the previous night and Emma didn’t miss the way her mother tried to hide her smile whenever David asked if there was anything else she needed before he rejoined Killian and Henry.

“Do you think I should tell him that he’s off the hook?” Mary Margaret asked quietly once Emma moved around the counter and started chopping the tomatoes. Emma’s hand stilled at the word ‘hook’, but she recovered quickly and went back to the task in front of her as she glanced sideways at her mother.

“Nah, this is probably making him feel better,” Emma replied. She finished the tomatoes and dumped them into the large salad bowl on the counter before going to the sink to wash her hands. “Besides, David would do anything you asked whether he was trying to make up for a night out or not.”

A beaming smile crossed Mary Margaret’s face as her head turned in the direction of the living room where David was leaning forward on the couch like sitting closer to the TV might help his team. “I’m a lucky woman,” she said, “And so are you.” Her gaze shifted back to Emma. “David mentioned that Killian convinced you to take the afternoon off since you were so tired. It’s nice having someone look out for you.”

“It is.” Unease settled in her stomach once more, but Emma did her best to push it away. She’d made the decision that she was not going to spend the entire night obsessing over how none of this was real. Until she came up with some sort of plan, she was going to do her best to just roll with everything and that meant accepting the fact that Killian was a major part of her life and he cared about her and wanted her to be okay.

But that was true in the reality she was used to as well. Killian had been putting her needs above his own since the moment he’d turned his ship around to bring her back the bean. Emma’s eyes drifted in his direction. Like her father, he was focused on the game, but he was leaning back on the couch, clearly more confident in his team than David was. Henry sat beside him and Emma noticed that whenever her son had something to say, Killian gave him his full attention and their easy bond made her heart clench.

A knock on the door pulled her from her thoughts and Emma glanced over at her mother, but she was busy with the potatoes so Emma went to open it herself and was surprised to see Regina on the other side holding a baking pan. The man Emma had spotted in the photograph was standing behind her with Roland in his arms, both of them offering her matching dimpled smiles. Regina simply raised an eyebrow and Emma realized she was just rudely staring at them. “Hi, come in,” she said, moving out of the way so they could enter the loft.

“David, Robin and Regina are here. Can you help me with the roast, please?” Mary Margaret called. David was up and off the couch instantly and she turned to smile at their recent arrivals. “Regina, thanks for bringing dessert. You can just set it on the counter unless it needs to be refrigerated.”

“It doesn’t,” Regina replied as Robin set Roland down and he made a beeline for Henry. Emma and Regina both watched as the younger boy climbed onto Killian’s lap while talking animatedly to Henry. Robin helped himself to a beer and then sat down in David’s vacated spot on the couch. Regina moved around Emma to place the dessert on the counter as David and Mary Margaret began transferring the food from pots and pans to serving dishes.

 _This is certainly different_. Emma felt completely out of place as she watched everyone interacting. They all seemed so at home in the loft like this was something they did all the time. But for her, even after everything they’d been through in Neverland, it was surreal to see her parents and Regina getting ready to have dinner together along with Killian and Henry and Robin and Roland, who seemed to fit right in with their strange little group. There was laughter and teasing and it was basically the picture coming to life – one big, happy family. So why was her chest constricting to the point where she could barely breathe?

She was tempted to just run out the door without looking back. That was her normal solution to problems that she didn’t know how to deal with, but Emma knew that wasn’t an option. This was her family and friends, okay that was a stretch since Regina didn’t really fit into either category, Robin was a stranger and Killian was… _something_. But the labels weren’t important at the moment because she _did_ care about these people and Emma was not going to run from that. She closed the door a little harder than necessary and then headed down the hall to the powder room.

After splashing some cold water on her face and taking several deep breaths, Emma was ready to go back out there and pretend this dinner was a normal occurrence. She opened the door and jumped when she found Regina on the other side, glaring at her. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” she hissed.

“What did you find out today?” Regina asked, pointedly ignoring Emma’s outburst.

Emma glanced in the direction of the main room, but there was enough noise between the kids, the TV and David cutting the roast to drown out the sound of their quiet conversation. “Gold is back.” That had Regina’s eyes widening and Emma was relieved that she wasn’t the only one who was thrown by this. “He didn’t seem to know anything was weird.” She told her the story of finding Killian’s hook and then running into Neal before she briefed her on her chats with some of the other residents.

“So it’s just the two of us who know that we’ve been cursed,” Regina muttered, more to herself than Emma. “Rumplestiltskin being back makes even less sense because he should be dead. And Robin…” She lowered her voice even more. “I’m positive that he and Roland were not here during the first curse. Why would this one bring over more people from the Enchanted Forest?”

“Why is _any_ of this happening?” Emma asked. She winced when the words came out louder than she’d intended, but when the noise from the other room didn’t stop, she continued. “You said that you could never see Henry again once you destroyed the original curse, but here we are. Is this the price instead? A world where everything is different and we’re the only ones who know? What’s the point of that?”

“I don’t know,” Regina replied, frustrated. Her gaze drifted down the hall at the sound of Henry and Roland’s laughter. “Henry called me ‘Aunt Regina’ and given how well everyone is getting along, we all must spend a lot of time together in this new life.” A look that Emma couldn’t quite read crossed her face and then it was gone. “We’re not going to find any answers tonight, Miss Swan.”

Emma recognized that she was being dismissed and just nodded at Regina before moving back down the hall to where David and Mary Margaret were placing the dishes on the table. Robin instructed the boys to go wash their hands and Killian turned off the TV before everyone took their places at the table. Emma found herself sitting between Killian and Henry, who had Roland on his other side and was showing him pictures on his phone from his field trip.

Regina returned and took her seat between Robin and Mary Margaret as everyone began passing dishes around the table until their plates were full. Conversation remained steady throughout dinner, alternating between the field trip, the upcoming wedding and a few not-so-subtle jokes from Killian about David and Robin’s behavior the night before. Mary Margaret pointedly reminded them that there were children present and the conversation easily shifted to talk of the recent storm and the cleanup efforts.

Emma couldn’t get over how normal everything was. There was no talk of villains or threats to the town or its residents. Storm damage was common along the entire East Coast this time of year so there was nothing out of the ordinary on that front. Mary Margaret mentioned Belle was helping the school with their upcoming book fair and hinted that Regina might want to know that Gold had already made a generous donation in case she wanted to make a matching one. Killian commented that blackmail was bad form as Robin teased Regina about her competitive side and soon everyone was laughing once again and Emma found herself swept up in it.

When they were finished eating, Henry asked if he could put the game back on and Roland followed him into the living room as David got up and began to clear the plates, coughing pointedly at Killian until he rolled his eyes and picked up his plate as well as Emma’s. She couldn’t help the snort of laughter as she watched Prince Charming and Captain Hook standing side by side at the sink. Mary Margaret raised an eyebrow and Regina rolled her eyes, but Emma noticed that she was watching Robin as he went to join the other two men.

“I’m going to open a bottle of wine before we have dessert,” Mary Margaret announced. She went to the wine rack and selected a bottle and Emma got up to help her with the glasses. She handed one to Regina and carried hers back to her seat. Mary Margaret set out dessert plates along with the éclair cake that Regina had brought and Emma once again fought the urge to laugh at the fact that Snow White was willingly going to eat something the evil queen had baked. How was this her life?

A warm hand settled on her shoulder and Emma glanced up at Killian as he slipped back into the seat beside her. “What’s so amusing, love?” he asked and Emma realized she probably wasn’t doing as good of a job hiding her enjoyment of the situation as she thought she had been. Then again, Killian had an uncanny way of reading her.

“It’s nothing,” Emma replied because in that moment, it was. It didn’t matter that the circumstances that had led to this night weren’t real – the night itself was and she felt lighter and happier than she had in a long time. Maybe it was okay to enjoy that for now. Emma smiled at him and took a sip of her wine. “Aren’t you going to watch the rest of the game with the boys?”

Killian arched an eyebrow as he brushed a piece of hair back from her face, tucking it behind her ear. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were trying to get rid of me.” He leaned closer, letting his nose rub against hers. “But we both know that’s not the case, is it?”

Emma rolled her eyes at his arrogance even as her breath caught in her throat. She wondered if she’d ever get used to the way her body reacted to him. Every time he kissed her, she felt like she was being set on fire from the inside out and she was nowhere near ready to start dissecting what that meant. But there was no need for that in this reality because as far as everyone was concerned, this was normal so there was nothing to stop her from leaning in and brushing her lips over the curve of his jaw, his stubble lightly tickling her chin.

The smirk on his face widened and he slid his hand into her hair, gently teasing the strands with his fingers as he turned his head and pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth, his lips lingering against her skin and making her heart beat faster against the wall of her chest. Emma met his gaze and ran her tongue over her bottom lip and then sent a smirk right back at him when his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat.

Not one to be outdone, Killian leaned into her once more, his warm breath brushing against her ear as he spoke. “Are you sure this is a game you wish to play?” He gently sank his teeth into her earlobe and Emma fought back a moan.

 _Pirate_ , she thought as she struggled to keep her breathing normal. Emma turned her head once again, pressing another chaste kiss to his jaw as she placed her hand on his upper thigh beneath the table. His entire body stilled and she met his gaze and raised an eyebrow in an obvious challenge. Killian ran his tongue over his teeth, contemplating his next move and then the spell was lifted when David cleared his throat loudly.

Emma jerked away from Killian, her face turning red as she met her father’s gaze across the table. He just shook his head, but he was smiling and that only made Emma blush more because David might not remember that he was her father, but she did and that meant she should not be doing whatever this was with _Hook_ in his kitchen. She wondered if this was what teenagers felt like when their parents caught them making out. Emma grabbed her wine and drank the whole glass in one gulp. What the hell had just come over her?

As Regina and Mary Margaret began to pass out plates of cake and Henry and Roland rushed back into the kitchen, Killian leaned closer to her once more. “To be continued, love,” he whispered. “And perhaps you were right about David being overly fatherly.” He winked at her and then turned to thank Mary Margaret with a big smile on his face as she gave him a piece of cake. Emma just stared down at the table, not sure if her cheeks were flushed from embarrassment or the heat of his promise.

(~)(~)(~)

When it was time to leave, Roland had asked if Henry could stay with them for the night. After Regina assured Emma and Mary Margaret that she would make sure Henry got to school on time, Emma agreed. She had a feeling Regina liked the idea as much as Roland did and there was a part of her that was relieved that she wouldn’t have to worry about lying to her son or saying the wrong thing. Emma decided that probably made her a terrible mother and they were going to need another room in their apartment just for her growing pile of guilt.

Emma slipped on her jacket, accepted hugs from both of her parents and waited as Killian thanked Mary Margaret, kissing her on the cheek before he clapped David on the back and teased him one last time about his hangover. David just shoved him away and still laughing, Killian took Emma’s hand and led her down the stairs and out of the building. The breeze coming from the water was chilly and Emma didn’t hesitate to move closer to him when he draped his arm across her shoulders.

“Dinner was fun,” she commented as they walked in the direction of their apartment building. Emma had had dinner with her parents and Henry before and they’d all shared food in Neverland, but this was different. It had been easy and carefree and everything a family dinner was supposed to be and that was an entirely new experience for her. It made her realize just how much she’d been craving this kind of closeness, even though she’d always been the first one to run away from letting people in to her life.

Killian nodded. “Even the mayor seemed to be in an agreeable mood. Robin confided to me earlier that he thought she might have been angry with him since she’d been somewhat distant before he’d left for work. But perhaps they worked things out.”

 _Or maybe Regina was just having a hard time grasping their new reality as well,_ Emma thought to herself. But she gave Killian a reassuring smile in case the subject came up again with Robin. “I think if Regina was truly angry, we all would have heard about it.” She raised an eyebrow and he laughed.

“Good point.” Killian’s arm tightened around her shoulders and they walked the remaining two blocks to their apartment in comfortable silence. Emma glanced at him a few times, looking for any signs of tension or distress, but he looked just as carefree as he had all day aside from the times he’d been worried about her. This was Killian Jones without three-hundred years of stress and heartbreak weighing him down.

Where had this world come from? She couldn’t even say that it was something out of a fairy tale because they were still leading normal, almost mundane lives. But they were happy – _all_ of them. And as much as she wanted to grab onto that feeling and hold on for dear life, Emma knew better. She knew that there was always going to be another shoe to drop and she needed to find out what that was because she didn’t want to see anyone get hurt.

“You’re doing it again, love.” Killian’s voice pulled her from her thoughts as he unlocked the door to their apartment and held it open so she could walk inside first. Emma frowned, confused as to what he was talking about, but Killian answered before she could say anything. “You’re getting lost inside your head.”

Right, that. Emma wasn’t sure what to say. She had a feeling that he’d know if she was lying, but she couldn’t exactly burden him with the truth either without sounding completely insane. First thing in the morning, she was going back to Regina’s and not leaving until they came up with some sort of plan to figure out what was going on, Emma decided. But in the meantime, she needed to relax.

“I think it’s a food coma,” Emma teased as she set her bag down on the table and then shrugged off her jacket, tossing it on the chair. “I was already stuffed from dinner and Mary Margaret cut those cake slices pretty generously.”

Killian raised an eyebrow and she recognized the look on his face – he knew she was holding back, but it didn’t seem like he was going to push. He took off his jacket and picked up hers to hang them both up in the closet as Emma wandered toward the kitchen and grabbed a stack of mail from the counter. “Perhaps I can help take your mind off things,” he offered.

“A good night’s sleep should help,” Emma replied absently as she flipped through the random bills, magazines and flyers addressed to one or both of them. This was the first time she’d ever had someone else’s name beside hers on an electric bill, she mused. Even when she’d lived with Mary Margaret, all the utilities had been in her mother’s name.

The mail fell from her hand when Killian grabbed her and easily spun her around, pinning her back to the counter with his hips as he brought his hand up to cup her cheek, smirking at the surprised look on her face. “Sleep is all well and good, love, but I had something else in mind altogether.”

 _Oh God_ , Emma thought as her heart once again started to beat like she’d just run a marathon. A knowing smirk crossed his face as he ran his tongue across his bottom lip and gently rolled his hips against hers. There was nothing Emma could do to stop the gasp from escaping her lips and his smirk widened for a second before he closed the distance between them and covered her mouth with his.

Her mind drifted to the kisses they’d shared outside Granny’s earlier in the day, the ones that had left her weak in the knees, and Emma knew without a doubt that he had been holding back. Now that they were completely alone, Killian was kissing her with so much hunger and need that Emma wasn’t sure she’d be able to keep standing if she didn’t have the support of the counter behind her. She felt the kisses through every inch of her body and that feeling of burning alive was back and there was nothing she wanted more than to relish in it.

Emma wrapped one arm around his waist, pulling him even closer to her as her other hand fisted in his hair, yanking on the strands to change the angle and kiss him harder. His tongue tangled with hers and she moaned, desperate for more. He took the hint, sliding his hand beneath her shirt and cupping her breast, his fingers easily bringing her nipple to attention as he stroked it through the lace of her bra. She arched against him, only breaking the kiss when her lungs were burning for air.

His eyes were darker than she’d ever seen them as he met her gaze, both of them practically panting. His lips were dark and swollen from hers and she imagined she had the same desperate look on her face that he did. Killian rolled his hips against hers once more and she let out another moan when she felt every inch of his hardness pressing against her exactly where she needed him. Her mind was already jumping to the next step and imagining their clothes strewn all over the kitchen floor as she let him take her right there.

Or maybe stripping off all their clothes would take too much time, Emma thought as she stroked his length through his jeans, making him moan. It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought about this before, probably for longer than she’d even admit to herself. Her mind flashed back to the day they’d climbed the beanstalk and he’d treated the cut on her hand, tying the scarf with his mouth. She fisted her hand in his shirt and yanked him down for another kiss, needing the feel of his lips on hers.

“Oh yes,” Killian muttered against her mouth. He seemed to be on the same track she was when slid his hand down her stomach to undo her jeans. His mouth trailed over her throat and along her neck, pressing kisses to her flushed skin. “Oh, Emma, I love you,” he whispered between kisses.

It was like someone dumped a bucket of cold water over her head. Emma pushed him back so fast that he stumbled and had to reach for the counter to steady himself. Confusion mixed with the desire in his eyes and Emma just stared at him, not sure what to say. She’d let her body think for her and completely ignored the fact that they were not supposed to be here like this. They weren’t a happy couple – they weren’t any kind of couple – and here she was about to have sex with him without thinking it through.

“Killian, we can’t do this.” Emma tried to move past him so she could put some space between them and stop thinking with her damn hormones, but Killian stopped her, trapping her between the counter and his body once more. There was nothing she could do to prevent her hips from automatically moving against his when she felt his arousal pressed against her.

“Why not?” Killian asked. He dipped his head and kissed her again, his mouth moving downright possessively over hers and God help her, she liked it. Emma wrapped her arms around him again and kissed him back, giving as good as she got. Why not indeed? It was just sex between two people who were clearly attracted to one another. There was no reason to deny either one of them that and as far as Killian was concerned, it wasn’t the first time. They had woken up naked in bed together after all. So what was the harm in just going with it?

 _Emma, I love you_. That was the harm. Even though it wasn’t something she liked to let herself think about because it was too much, Emma knew that Killian loved her. She’d heard his confession in the echo caves and remembered the way he’d looked at her when he’d promised to win her heart or the pain they’d both felt when they’d had to say goodbye at the town line and he’d promised to think of her every day. And while she was nowhere near ready to sort out her feelings, Emma did care about him and she couldn’t just take advantage of this situation no matter how good it would feel to get lost in him.

“Killian, stop.” Emma pushed him away again and this time he took a step back on his own, hurt reflecting in the deep blue of his eyes as he stared at her, waiting for an explanation. Emma scrambled away from the counter and fixed her clothes, trying to think of something – _anything_ – that she could say that would make sense to him. But there was nothing. She had absolutely nothing as her heart broke over the pain she recognized on his face.

“Emma, please,” Killian said. He followed her in the direction of the living room, but he didn’t reach for her again. “Love, whatever it is that’s got you down, please tell me and let me help you.”

She turned away from him and squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself not to cry. It wasn’t going to help anything. There was only one solution and she hated it, but it was the only choice she had because she was already hurting him and piling lies on top of that would just make everything worse. Emma went to the table and grabbed her bag, pulling out the hook and holding it up for him to see.

“None of this is real, Killian.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys are the best! Thanks so much for all the interest in this story.

He simply stared at her for several minutes, his eyes moving back and forth between her face and the hook that she was holding in her hand. Emma’s heart was racing again as she questioned the decision she’d made now that it was already too late to take it back. She had to tell him the truth and try to make him understand that they were cursed and nothing about this life was real. She just wished she knew how to do that.

“Emma.” Killian spoke her name slowly and for the first time since they’d woken up that morning, Emma heard the wariness that she was used to hearing in his voice when she frustrated him. How many times had she pushed him just to see how far she could before he snapped? But he never did. Sure, he told her harsh truths sometimes, but he didn’t leave her side when she shoved at him or even when she was practically cruel to him. She wondered if that would carry over to this reality once this conversation was over.

She still didn’t know where to begin so she kept quiet, waiting to see what he would say. His eyes were back on the hook and his brow furrowed and for a brief second, she hoped seeing it would be enough to trigger his memories, but his gaze met hers once more and he looked just as confused as ever. “What do you mean none of this is real?” he asked. New frustration slipped into his voice with every word. “What’s not bloody real?”

“This life, this town, _this_ ,” Emma said as she gestured between them with her free hand. The tears she’d tried to hold back welled up in her eyes and she quickly blinked them away. She had to make him understand. Emma thought back to when she’d first come to Storybrooke and Henry had tried to get her to believe. She wondered if his book was in the apartment. But Killian wasn’t in the book and the hook certainly wasn’t doing the trick so she needed to just tell him everything. “Do you trust me?”

“Aye, of course I do, but you’re not making any sense, love.” Killian closed some of the distance between them, hesitating for only a few seconds before he reached out and brushed the stray tears that had fallen away. “Tell me where all of this is coming from and let me help you.”

Emma nodded and took a deep breath, trying to summon all the strength she had. He was probably going to think that she was insane – just like she’d thought Henry was when he’d first tried to tell her the truth about the town. “How did you lose your hand?”

The question clearly surprised him, his eyes automatically drifting to the fake hand he wore. “You know the tale. Why would you want to talk about that?”

“Do _you_ know the tale?” Emma asked. She recalled when she’d arrived in Storybrooke and people had a hard time talking about their pasts because none of their memories had been real and everything was foggy. “How did we meet? How long have we been living together? When did you meet David? What about Robin?” She watched his face as she asked each question and she could see that he was struggling to come up with answers. “You don’t know, do you?”

“Of course I know,” Killian snapped and once again Emma heard more of Hook coming out in his voice. She ignored the guilt she felt for ruining the happy façade because she really believed that if Killian had a say in the matter, he would want to know the truth. They were a lot alike and if their positions were reversed, she wouldn’t want him to let her continue living a lie. This time, she reached for him, placing her hand on his chest and waiting for him to meet her gaze.

“You don’t know the answers because your memories are not what you think they are.” Emma ran her hand over his arm and linked their fingers together, tugging him gently toward the couch. He went willingly and sat down beside her, looking more uncertain than ever. She shifted sideways so she was facing him. “This is a long story and I just need you to hear me out, okay?” He nodded and she took another deep breath and started talking.

She told him about Henry showing up on her doorstep. She told him about the book and how Henry believed everyone in town was a fairy tale character and she was the savior, the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. His eyes widened at that, but he let her keep talking. Emma explained that Regina was the evil queen and Mr. Gold was Rumplestiltskin, also known as the Dark One and he’d built the failsafe into the curse because he’d wanted to find his son.

“I didn’t believe any of it. Why would I?” Emma asked. She wanted him to know that she’d thought it was insane the first time she’d heard the story too. She explained how Mary Margaret had befriended her and how she’d watched how she was drawn to David over and over again, even when he’d been married to someone else. She told him about her fights with Regina and how she’d threatened to sue for custody and then she explained the apple turnover and how Henry had eaten it to prove a point. Killian still wasn’t saying anything as she talked about the dragon and Gold stealing the potion to bring magic back and Emma saving Henry with True Love’s Kiss.

Killian rubbed his hand over his face. “So magic returned to Storybrooke and everyone was reunited.” She could tell from the tone of his voice that he was skeptical and Emma couldn’t blame him for that. But he was still listening so she figured that counted for something. “Was that the happily ever after?”

“Not exactly,” Emma replied. “There were a lot of adjustments to be made and Gold wanted to punish Regina for hurting Belle. He unleashed this monster on her and to send it away, we opened a portal to the Enchanted Forest. I fell into it and my mother jumped in after me and we were trapped there. That’s when I met you.”

He raised an eyebrow. “And what was a pirate doing in an Enchanted Forest instead of sailing the seven seas? That is what you’re trying to tell me, isn’t it, darling? That it wasn’t a coincidence that you addressed me as ‘Hook’ this morning.” Killian pointed to the hook in her hand. “I presume that’s mine?”

Emma was having a hard time reading his tone and she didn’t know if he was angry or if by some small chance he actually believed what she was telling him. She had a feeling it was the first one and did her best not to let the hurt show on her face. Killian had _always_ believed in her, even when they’d basically been strangers with their own agendas and she knew this should be the one time to cut him slack for not instantly jumping on board, but it still felt wrong that he wasn’t on her side.

But this wasn’t about her. This was about making him believe so she pressed forward. “Yes, it’s yours. You weren’t honest about your identity when we first met, but I knew you were lying so you told me your name was Killian Jones, but most people referred to you as Hook.” She held it out to him.

“As in Captain Hook,” he muttered, repeating what he’d said that morning in jest as he took the hook from her. Killian examined it, frowning when he noticed the attachment. He pushed his sleeve up and removed his fake hand. Emma watched as he chewed on his bottom lip for a moment and then slowly secured the hook on the brace, twisting it into place. The air was thick with tension as they both stared at the hook gleaming at the end of his arm. “Bloody hell,” he muttered.

Emma rested her hand on his leg and waited for him to look at her. When he did, she could see how much he was struggling with all of this and she desperately wished there was some way to help ease his pain. Instead, she was going to have to make things even harder for him by bringing up his forgotten past. “I’m going to tell you the real story of how you lost your hand or at least the parts I know.” She’d learned bits and pieces over the short amount of time they’d spent together, but it was far from the whole story. It was going to have to be enough.

She did her best to speak quickly, starting with the story David had told her about his first journey to Neverland with his brother. Emma knew that had led to him becoming a pirate and she skipped to the part about Milah and how she’d been married to Rumplestiltskin at the time. His eyes flickered to his wrist and she knew he was thinking about that tattoo beneath his sleeve. Emma briefly wondered what he’d thought the story of it was, but immediately pushed the question away. It wasn’t important. She explained that the Dark One killed Milah and took his hand because he’d wanted the magic bean he possessed so he could find his son.

“But you kept it and used it to go to Neverland,” Emma explained. “You were there for around three-hundred years before you made a deal with Pan so you could leave.” His eyes grew wider than ever, but she kept going. “Then you were in the Enchanted Forest working with a woman named Cora. She was Regina’s mother and she cast a spell to protect part of the forest from Regina’s curse so you were frozen in time waiting for…”

“You,” Killian supplied before she had a chance. “I was waiting for you to break the curse and free me.” Emma was having trouble reading his tone again, but she nodded. A small smile played across his lips as he met her gaze once more. “That’s certainly an intriguing turn of events, love. Please continue.”

There was a hint of amusement in his voice and part of her wanted to be annoyed that he didn’t seem to be taking this seriously, but why should he? She’d lived it and knew it sounded completely insane. She should probably be grateful that Archie was as close as Storybrooke came to having a mental health professional. At least she didn’t have to worry that he’d have her carted away by the men in white coats when she was finished with the story…she hoped not anyway.

Emma told him about their adventure on the beanstalk, including the part where she’d left him there. He looked like he was going to interrupt so she pressed on, sharing the details of his new deal with Cora and how he’d stolen Aurora’s heart. She made sure to add the part where he saved it from the portal and he did laugh when she explained that she’d knocked him out with the compass after he’d thought he’d won. Emma skipped over the less important details and jumped to the part where he’d arrived in Storybrooke with Cora and went after Gold by hurting Belle.

“Hold on a moment, love,” Killian interrupted as she tried to tell him that she and David had stopped Gold from killing him. “So not only am I one of the villains of this peculiar tale of yours, but I shot Belle? _Belle_ , the perfectly nice lass who I chat with about classic novels at least once a week?” he asked incredulously.

“Yes,” Emma replied. He’d barely batted an eyelash when she’d talked about his misdeeds in the Enchanted Forest, but she could see that this bothered him, probably because it felt more real to someone whose memories only covered this realm. “Killian, you spent over three-hundred years looking for a way to kill Rumplestiltskin and you were desperate. It’s _not_ an excuse,” she added quickly when she saw his mouth fall open. “But eventually you got past all of that and you put your revenge aside.”

He didn’t say anything, but she watched as his eyes drifted to the hook. The tension was radiating off of him in waves and Emma couldn’t imagine what he must have been thinking, but she knew that she had to keep going. She did her best to explain Greg and Tamara, two names that she would have preferred to never speak again, and how it wasn’t normal for outsiders to come to Storybrooke. For reasons she refused to think too much about, Emma decided to skip over most of the story involving Neal, only briefly mentioning his connection to Tamara before they discovered the real reason they’d been in Storybrooke.

“Regina and I managed to keep the town from blowing up, but they kidnapped Henry.” The memories were still too raw to stop the emotion from seeping into her voice and Killian immediately reached for her hand, lacing their fingers together once more. Emma let out a shaky breath as she forced herself to focus. The quiet comfort that he was offering gave her the strength to push past the memories of how scared she’d been and she kept talking. “You’d left with the bean because you didn’t agree with our plan, but instead of using it to save yourself, you came back.”

“For you,” Killian said. His hand tightened on hers and Emma nodded as she met his gaze. For the first time since she’d started this conversation, she knew he believed what she was saying, at least the part about him coming back for her.

“You took me and my parents and Regina and Gold on your ship and used the bean to get us to Neverland. It was hell and Peter Pan was the demon running the show.” Emma scowled at the memory and she prayed to any and all gods out there that he was truly gone even though Gold had managed to find a way back in this new reality.

She told Killian about Neverland and how they’d had to work together to save Henry. She mentioned Neal finding his way there after a detour in the Enchanted Forest, but Emma skipped over the confessions in the echo caves and the two men fighting over her at the most inopportune times. Emma explained that Pan was actually Gold’s father and Killian muttered under his breath about _everyone being bloody related_ and she smiled in spite of everything.

“We got back to Storybrooke and Henry was acting strange. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know what and then we discovered that Pan had managed to switch bodies with him. He planned to enact another curse, one that would take away all of our memories and let him become the leader of the town or some crazy bullshit like that. But Gold defeated him and died in the process or so we thought. And Regina was going to undo the curse and send everyone back to the Enchanted Forest except Henry and me.”

Killian frowned and his hand tightened almost painfully around hers, but Emma didn’t pull away. She brushed her thumb against his, trying to offer him some comfort or at the very least, a reminder that she was still there. But that was the entire point that she’d been trying to make all along. She explained that Regina had to sacrifice being with Henry to pay for casting the curse and Emma was the only one who could stay with him because she was the savior and there was no way that she would let her son grow up alone like she had.

“I watched Regina’s magic take you all away and I drove over the town line with Henry. I was supposed to forget everything about this town and everyone in it, but when I woke up this morning, I was here with you and no one remembered except me and Regina. Not even Henry, which makes no sense since he was with me when I left.” Emma squeezed his hand and held her breath, waiting for him to say something.

He was quiet for several minutes, but he kept holding her hand as he tapped his hook against his leg. She could see that he was lost in his thoughts, his eyes staring unseeing at the far wall. Emma didn’t want to push him, but the silence was deafening and patience had never been her strong suit. She needed to know if there was any part of him that believed the story she’d just told him. “Killian, please say something.”

“That tale is ludicrous, Emma.” He pulled his hand away from her and stood up, not looking at her as he began to pace the room like a caged animal. She felt the tears welling in her eyes again and did her best to blink them away once more. Crying wasn’t going to solve anything, but in that moment, she felt completely helpless. If Killian didn’t believe her, no one else was going to and she didn’t know how to do any of this without him. His presence at her side had been a comfort in Neverland and even today. As weird as all of this was, being able to count on him had made it easier for Emma to get through the day. She couldn’t lose that. She couldn’t lose _him_.

Killian stopped pacing near the bookshelf and picked up one of the pictures she’d stared at earlier. It was of the two of them and Henry sitting in the courtyard at Granny’s in front of the Storybrooke sign. She watched him as he looked at their happy, carefree faces and then set the frame down and turned to her once more. “Love, you have to know that this sounds completely mad. Magic and fairy tale characters and curses and this bloody thing,” he muttered as he held up the hook.

“Of course I know that!” Emma cried. “But it’s the truth, Killian. Every single insane word is true.” She got up as well and stalked away from him, the urge to run out the door and never look back creeping up on her once more. But that wasn’t an option. She wasn’t going to abandon him or Henry or anyone else. Even if Killian didn’t believe her, she would find a way to end this curse and bring back everyone’s memories. Emma had no idea what that solution was, but she was the goddamn savior and she would find one.

The sound of the hook clattering against the coffee table startled her and Emma turned around to see Killian putting his fake hand back into the brace. He glared at the hook for a moment and then left it where it was as he crossed the room to her. “Tell me something, love.” His voice was quieter than she’d been expecting and the look in his eyes reminded Emma of the moment when he’d come over to say goodbye to her at the town line. Fresh panic welled in her chest as she wondered if he was planning on being the one to walk away this time.

“What?” she whispered. Emma hated how weak her voice sounded, but she was scared and there was no way for her to hide that no matter how much she wanted to. If he left her, she was on her own and even though it would hardly be the first time she found herself in that situation, Emma didn’t think she could handle it again. Not in this new Storybrooke where everyone was happy and carefree and she’d be the one who had to ruin it just like she’d ruined things with Killian.

He took another step closer to her, but he didn’t reach for her and she did her best to ignore the pang in her chest. “If all of this is true, if we’re living in a make believe town and a curse has taken away everyone’s memories except for yours and Regina’s, why would you choose to tell me the truth? Why not Mary Margaret or David, who you say are your parents or Mr. Gold? If he has dark magic, that seems like it would be more useful to a savior than a one-handed pirate.”

“You and I are a team,” Emma replied. It was the most simplistic version of the truth that she could offer him. She could have kept up the ruse and just made excuses to avoid him. She was good at that, avoiding things and people that she didn’t want to see. But she wanted to see Killian. She wanted him to be by her side and for him to help her through this because even though she had Regina, it wasn’t enough.

She swallowed down the fear constricting her throat and met his gaze. “I need you.” Her voice shook as she spoke the words, words she’d rarely, if ever, said to anyone. Emma had grown up alone and she’d told herself a long time ago that needing people made her weak and she didn’t ever want to be weak again. But that was always her pride talking and the scared, lost girl inside of her. She couldn’t let fear of rejection stand in her way now. There was too much at stake.

“Then you shall have me,” Killian replied. This time he did reach for her, cupping her cheek in his palm as he brushed his thumb over the indent in her chin. Relief washed over her and before she could stop herself, Emma stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him and hugged him as tightly as her arms would allow. He held her for a moment, his fake hand resting at the small of her back as his other hand stroked her hair and Emma felt safer than she had in a long time.

Reluctantly, she pulled back a few minutes later because she knew they needed to stay focused on the major problem at hand. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. But this morning was so confusing and then I was just trying to figure out what everyone did or didn’t remember and then dinner and…” Her voice trailed off when she saw something flash across Killian’s face and it occurred to Emma that he’d never actually said that he believed her story. “Do you still think I’m making this up?”

Killian frowned. “It’s not that simple, love. I believe that you believe this tale, but it’s not an easy one to process in a manner of minutes. You’re asking me to set aside everything that feels real to me and believe in fairy tales and curses and _Neverland_.” He spit out the last word like it had personally offended him and Emma might have found it amusing if her heart wasn’t sinking once more.

“But you said that you were on my side. How can you be if you think that I’m crazy?” Emma took a step back from him as the walls felt like they were closing in on her. Maybe getting some fresh air would help her think. She turned away, but barely made it two steps before Killian grabbed her wrist and easily spun her back around and straight into his arms.

“Bloody stubborn lass,” he muttered, keeping her in his embrace like he thought she’d run away again if he loosened his grip. “Emma, I said I needed to process this. I never claimed to think you were crazy. But if I recall, you said yourself that it took time for you to believe Henry when he first came to you.” Killian raised an eyebrow as if daring her to contradict him.

She nodded and tried to let go of some of the tension that was weighing her down. He wanted to believe her and she supposed that was better than nothing. It was definitely more than she’d given Henry when they’d first met. “Okay, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to jump to conclusions. I know it’s a lot. Thanks for being willing to try.”

Killian smiled at her and loosened his hold on her waist to cup her cheek once more. “Emma, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, love. Don’t you know that by now? This scenario of yours might be hard to fathom, but I believe in you. I’ve never seen you fail.”

Her heart skipped a beat and she just stared at him for a moment, remembering when he’d said the same thing to her in Neverland. She couldn’t blame him for needing more time to accept everything. All that mattered was that he trusted her enough to want to try. Emma managed to give him a small smile. “Thank you, Killian. I’m sorry for springing all of this on you, but it’s not right to live a lie, even one that’s a lot happier than reality.”

The smile slipped from his face. “Surely there were some happy moments in this other world of yours. I assumed you were only sharing the bad ones to try and jog my memory. Were we not happy?”

Emma swallowed hard, not sure what to say. Of course there had been little moments of happiness scattered throughout the years she’d spent in Storybrooke, but they were few and far between and always surrounded by a new danger or curse or disaster waiting to happen. She didn’t want to tell him that, but she didn’t want to lie to him either. “It was complicated. We were happy after we rescued Henry. At least until we learned what Pan had done.”

Killian nodded and Emma’s chest ached when she saw the familiar uncertainty and sadness reflected in his eyes. “What about us?” he asked and this time Emma heard a hint of fear in his voice and she knew exactly what he wanted to know and she hated that she couldn’t tell him what he wanted to hear.

“We weren’t as close as we are in this version,” Emma replied quietly. He looked at her like she’d slapped him, but recovered quickly, sending her a sad smile that made her want to pull out her own heart so she didn’t have to feel the pain of hurting him. “I’m sorry. It’s complicated.”

“Aye, you stated that already.” Killian took a step back and dragged his hand through his hair. “Perhaps it would be best if I remained out here this evening. Dave mentioned the couch was rather comfortable.”

He wasn’t meeting her gaze anymore and Emma didn’t want to imagine what was probably running through his head. She reached for his hand and tugged him with her as she started down the hall toward their bedroom. “Don’t be ridiculous. We both need a good night’s sleep and you’re not staying on the couch.” While she did appreciate his instincts to be a gentleman, Emma knew they were both adults and could handle sleeping in the same bed. And if she was being honest with herself, she didn’t like the idea of him not being beside her.

“As long as you’re sure, love,” Killian said as they walked into the bedroom. Emma just shot a glare in his direction and he laughed, the sound doing something to her heart that she decided to ignore. He excused himself to the bathroom and Emma took the opportunity to change into the first pajama set she came across and slipped into bed.

Killian returned a few minutes later. He’d stripped down to his boxers and he moved around to the other side of the bed and slipped beneath the covers, careful to keep as much space as possible between them. Emma stared up at the ceiling, hating the distance that she’d created. Even though she knew telling him the truth had been the right decision, there was a part of her that already missed the easy closeness and intimacy that they’d shared before she’d dropped this bomb in his lap. How was it possible that she always found a way to ruin everything?

“Emma.”

She turned her head and saw Killian watching her with familiar concern in his eyes. He offered her a small smile and then leaned closer, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Sleep now, love. We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

Emma was afraid that if she said anything, she’d start crying so she just nodded. Killian shifted closer to her and she reached out, placing her hand over his on the pillow. His smile widened and he laced their fingers together before he closed his eyes. Emma watched him for a moment and then she did the same. She didn’t know where they were going from here, but she trusted that he wouldn’t leave her to face this alone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, I love each and every one of you who have been reading this and leaving comments and sending me messages and leaving kudos, etc. You are the absolute best and I am so flattered by all of you. Thank you. ♥

Killian dreamt of being at sea.

He was standing at the helm of a ship, dressed in black leather with the hook on the end of his arm. He was clutching something in his hand as he steered the ship away from the dock and onto open water, leaving the town and all the people in it behind him. Her voice was in his head and weighing heavily on his conscience as his fist closed tighter around the small bean.

_Be a part of something._

The scene shifted suddenly and Emma was beside him at the wheel. The sunlight and calm waters were gone and rain was pouring down over them. The wind howled and the sea thrashed angrily beneath the ship. Emma shouted something about him being able to outrun a storm as they struggled with the wheel, trying to keep control of the ship as the storm tossed them violently.

_This isn’t a storm. It’s bloody damnation!_

Their voices were not the only ones he could hear over the noise of the storm. Mary Margaret and Regina were there as well, angrily shouting at one another and trading blame. David started yelling too and Killian pulled him back toward the wheel, shouting words he couldn’t quite hear and then David punched him, causing the dream to shift again. This time, Emma was lying on the deck, her eyes closed and he could feel fear gripping his heart.

Her eyes flew open and Killian’s did too. His heart pounded against the wall of his chest as he turned to Emma. She was sound asleep beside him and he allowed himself a sigh of relief. He scrubbed his hand over his face and waited for his breathing and heart rate to return to their normal speeds. Emma was safe.

But the dream remained fresh in his mind as he quietly slipped out of bed and into the bathroom. The sun wouldn’t be up for several hours, but he knew sleep was no longer an option for him. Killian turned on the shower, removed his boxers and stepped underneath the hot spray, hoping it would ease some of the tension in his muscles.

His mind continued to replay the vivid dream and matched it up with the tale Emma had shared with him. He assumed it was a manifestation born out of the journey to Neverland that she described. But it felt much too real to just be something his imagination had pieced together. Killian noticed Gold had been absent from the dream, which seemed strange since Emma stated he had been with them, even though her version of reality included an unsettling hatred between the two men.

Killian didn’t really know Mr. Gold all that well. He was Neal’s father and Belle’s husband and he had a strange collection of goods at the pawn shop. Killian had never felt any ill will toward the man and as far as he knew, Gold had never expressed any for him either. They mostly shared polite small talk when they encountered one another and went about their lives. It was hard to fathom that there could be centuries of hatred between them.

The water began to cool and Killian realized he’d lost track of time. He turned off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist, grabbing a second one to run through his hair as he moved toward the sink. He picked up his toothbrush and his eyes lingered on the tattoo that adorned his wrist.

Milah was a woman he had loved long before he’d met Emma. He knew that he’d lost her, but no matter how hard he concentrated, he couldn’t come up with the specific details. He recalled nothing of their courtship or what it was that had taken her from him. All he knew was that he’d made peace with the loss and found his true happiness with Emma.

But those details were scarce as well. Killian had various memories of Storybrooke and spending time there with Emma and Henry. However, there was nothing beyond that, not even a hint of when they’d met or how he’d arrived in Storybrooke in the first place. Considering his accent, Killian knew he hadn’t been born in Maine. So why couldn’t he remember his life before this town?

His thoughts shifted to his friends. Robin had an accent too, but David did not. Yet he’d known David longer. That was one of the few details he could say for certain were true. David and Mary Margaret had been a couple for as long as he’d known them and they were roughly the same age as him and Emma while Robin and Regina were a tad older. Even so, Emma said David and Mary Margaret were her parents and a curse had frozen them in time, just like it had him. He supposed he could see some family resemblance between them and Emma.

Killian finished brushing his teeth and examined his reflection in the mirror, debating if it was time to trim his beard. If Emma’s tale was accurate, he was over three-hundred years old and had been preserved first by centuries in Neverland and then by that Cora woman Emma had mentioned. He certainly didn’t look or feel like someone who had lived over three life spans. His eyes drifted to the brace and fake hand that he’d left on the counter before he’d gone to bed. What had happened to his hand?

It wasn’t a tale he was asked for often because everyone accepted that he only had one hand. He had a vague memory of an accident – an automobile, perhaps – but the details escaped him. That appeared to be the common theme of his life. The more he struggled to find the memories, the more elusive they became. Emma’s voice invaded his thoughts, repeatedly telling him that none of this was real. It was a curse.

The very idea was absolute madness. Killian didn’t believe in curses or magic or fairy tale characters that came to life and inhabited a town. He quickly donned the brace, secured his fake hand into place and exited the bathroom, ready to write the whole thing off as absurd until his eyes fell on Emma.

She believed this life was the result of a curse or a spell gone wrong and she’d asked him to believe too. Killian knew he’d hurt her by being skeptical and he hated that he’d upset her. He _did_ believe in her. She was the center of his world and he would lay down his life for her in a heartbeat if the situation called for it. So he would find a way to process this information that she’d given him, even if it meant accepting this life was merely an illusion.

He watched her for another moment and then dressed in the dark room, careful not to make too much noise. Emma rarely woke up a second before her alarm went off so he knew he’d have a few hours to himself to consider things. Killian glanced at Emma one more time and then slipped out of the room, quietly closing the door at his back.

(~)(~)(~)

Emma groaned into her pillow when she heard the familiar beeping as her alarm clock blared to life. She swatted at it until it stopped and then she snuggled back into the pillows, a feeling of déjà vu creeping over her. The failed curse and the strange day played through her mind and the last thing she remembered was Killian holding her hand as she drifted to sleep.

But when she opened her eyes, Emma found herself alone. She brushed her hand over the cool sheets on his side of the bed and wondered how long he’d been gone. Emma chewed on her lip as she listened for any sign that he was in the apartment, but all she heard was silence. Maybe he’d already gone to work or maybe he’d decided she was insane and he’d run away from her as fast as he could. With her luck, that was the most likely option.

Emma’s heart was heavy as she pushed the covers aside and crossed the room to the bathroom. She needed to come up with a plan, starting with figuring out who had cast this curse. She tried to make a list of possibilities as she washed her hair, but her mind just kept drifting to Killian. Maybe telling him the truth had been a mistake. The easy intimacy between them had scared and confused her, but now she found herself missing it as she felt more alone than ever.

She’d never had a relationship like that before, one where she knew she could count on the other person no matter what. When she’d been with Neal, even though things had started out good between them, they’d been young and she’d been naïve and it had ended in disaster. But this thing that she had with Killian was different. It was special and safe and he made her feel loved and happy and –

“It’s not real,” Emma muttered in frustration. She was getting swept up in a fantasy and that wasn’t okay. Telling Killian had been the right thing to do, even if it had led to him walking out on her. She’d find a way to break the curse and things would get back to normal or as close to normal as life in Storybrooke was ever going to get.

Fresh resolve coursed through Emma as she finished getting ready for the day. She managed to put Killian out of her thoughts as she blow dried her hair and her mind went back to trying to come up with people who would benefit from the new curse. As soon as she walked into the bedroom and opened the closet, her eyes fell on his clothes, hanging neatly beside hers. Emma’s chest tightened and she felt like a balloon deflating. _She_ had benefitted from this cure. She’d gotten a happy ending without any of the ugly parts. Everyone she’d talked to yesterday had too. And now she was planning on taking that away.

She felt more like the villain than the savior of the story.

Emma got dressed and made her way down the hall, pausing when the scent of coffee filled her nose. Her heart started to beat a little faster and she turned the corner and spotted Killian sitting at the table. He had a cup of coffee in front of him along with a half-eaten plate of eggs, but his attention was focused on the phone in his hands, _her_ phone. Whatever he was reading had left his brow furrowed and a deep frown on his face. She watched him for a moment, but he seemed oblivious to her presence. Emma cleared her throat to get his attention, not sure what to expect from him.

He glanced up and immediately smiled at her, “Morning, love.” The knot gripping her stomach loosened. He hadn’t left and he seemed happy to see her even though he’d been distressed a few seconds earlier. Maybe she hadn’t ruined everything between them after all. Or maybe it was just time for her to stop assuming that he was going to leave at every turn. He wouldn’t do that to her.

“Morning,” Emma replied. She veered into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee. “Is everything okay? You seem pretty deep in thought over there.” She glanced at the cabinets, not sure where the coffee mugs would be and opened one at random. Two tries later, she found a coffee mug and when she turned around, Killian was standing right behind her. A small laugh escaped her throat as her back hit the counter. “We need to get you a bell.”

He gave her another smile, but this one didn’t quite reach his eyes. Killian took the mug from her hand and moved down the counter to pour her a cup of coffee. He added the cream and sugar and placed it back in her hands. “Why don’t you have a seat? I’ll get you some eggs.” He turned on the stove and then hesitated, glancing back at her. “Do you like scrambled eggs?”

The uncertainty in his voice nearly broke her. Emma hated that she’d put him in this position. “I do,” she said. Killian nodded and turned back to the stove and she saw some of the tension ease between his shoulders, but he was still far too quiet for her liking. She took the coffee to the table and sat down. Heavy silence hung in the air between them as he concentrated on cooking the eggs and she just watched him, wishing she knew how to fix this. A few minutes later, Killian placed the plate of eggs in front of her and returned to his seat.

“Thank you.” Emma took a bite even though she wasn’t the slightest bit hungry. She could feel his eyes on her and she set the fork down and reached for her coffee. “Killian, please talk to me. What were you looking at on my phone?”

“I was perusing the internet for the history of Storybrooke and do you know what I found? Not a single mention of the town,” he stated. Killian slid the phone toward her so she could see the map of Maine that filled the screen. “It’s not located on any map that I searched.”

“That’s because it doesn’t belong here,” Emma replied, echoing Regina’s words after she’d explained how she would stop Pan’s curse. “Outsiders can’t find it and there are only a few of us who can leave without losing our memories because we weren’t brought over by the first curse.” Emma wondered if that had changed now, but she didn’t have plans to find out one way or the other.

Killian nodded, quietly taking in that information. Emma wanted to ask what had sparked his curiosity in the first place because her instincts told her it was more than just the conversation they’d had. He remained quiet for several long minutes and Emma tried not to squirm in her seat. She would give just about anything for one of his flirty comments or the innuendo she was always rolling her eyes at or _any_ sign that the man she knew wasn’t completely lost to her.

“In your tale of Neverland…” His quiet voice made her jump and he simply raised an eyebrow before continuing. “You described our journey aboard my ship, but you didn’t mention you were hurt. Did you nearly drown?”

Her mouth fell open at the unexpected question. His eyes were sharply focused on her and he seemed to be holding his breath as he waited for her confirmation. “Yes. We were attacked by mermaids and then everyone was fighting instead of working together so I jumped overboard. David pulled me out of the water.” Emma saw the conflict in his eyes and she waited a beat, her heart thumping in her chest. “Do you remember that happening?”

“I don’t know,” Killian replied. He ran his hand through his hair as more frustration and uncertainty crossed his face. “It was a dream I had, but it was so vivid that I cannot shake it, even now.”

“That’s because it’s a memory.” Emma reached for his hand and laced their fingers together, waiting for him to meet her gaze. When she did, she offered him a small smile. “I know this sucks, Killian. I’m sorry I dropped all of this on you, but we don’t lie to each other. I’m going to find out who did this to us.”

He nodded and then lifted their joined hands, pressing his lips against her skin. “I have complete faith in you, love. What do you plan to do first?”

She couldn’t help smiling at the gesture as well as his declaration of faith in her. When he said it, she believed him. “Talk to Regina again,” Emma replied. “She’s the only other person who has her memories and it was her magic that blocked Pan’s curse so maybe she can find a way to reverse this or at least figure out who changed things.”

“Then we shall go see Regina.” Killian stood up and collected their plates that were still mostly full and carried them into the kitchen. “By the time we arrive, Henry should already be at school. Do you plan to fill the lad in?” he asked.

Emma just stared at him as he went about throwing away the food and placing the plates in the dishwasher. Seeing Captain Hook doing basic kitchen chores was definitely strange, but it was his words that had her attention. “You’re going to come with me?”

“Aye,” Killian replied. He picked up her keys from the counter and held them out to her. “You did say we were a team, did you not, love? What do you want to do about Henry?” he asked again.

Her heart turned over as warmth filled her chest. Not only was he not running away from her, but he wanted to help. And he was concerned about her son. Emma suddenly had the urge to wrap her arms around him or cry or both, but she did neither. She was the savior and she needed to hold herself together. “We are a team,” she confirmed quietly as she took the keys from him. “And I don’t think we should say anything to Henry or anyone else until we know more.”

Killian nodded as he pulled on his coat and then helped Emma with hers. “Then we will keep this between us for now,” he agreed. Killian reached for her hand and laced their fingers together as he led her toward the door. Emma didn’t know what to say so she kept her mouth shut and held his hand a little tighter, hoping that would be enough to show him how grateful she was to have him beside her.

(~)(~)(~)

“Did we get our wires crossed?” Regina asked. She’d just opened the door for Emma and Killian and looked back and forth between the two of them before her gaze landed on Emma. “Robin already left to take Henry to school. Roland tagged along,” she added, a small smile playing briefly across her face before she seemed to think better of it and her neutral expression returned.

“No, we came to talk to you,” Emma replied. She glanced at Killian and noticed he was watching Regina closely. She imagined he was trying to reconcile what she’d told him about the evil queen with whatever cursed memories he had. Emma hesitated and then reached out, brushing her hand over his arm. He sent her a small smile and threaded his fingers through hers.

Regina rolled her eyes at the gesture and then stepped aside, motioning for them to come into the house. “I was on my way to the office, but I suppose I can spare a few minutes. Is this about the meeting we didn’t finish yesterday?” she asked over her shoulder as she led them down the hall and into her formal living room.

“It’s about the curse we’re under,” Emma replied. She couldn’t help smirking at the way Regina stopped in her tracks and immediately whirled around to face them, eyes wide as she looked back and forth between the two of them. “I told Killian everything last night.”

Regina continued to stare at them for a moment and then regained her composure as she took a seat in one of the high-backed chairs. “I see.” She crossed her legs and tapped her fingernails against her knee as she watched Emma and Killian sit down on the couch across from her. “And was that enough to jog your memory, Captain?”

“No,” Killian replied. His tone was much more guarded than it had been when they’d had dinner the night before and Emma could see that he was conflicted about sharing any further information with Regina. She squeezed his hand and he turned to her, holding her gaze for a moment before he spoke again. “Emma told me her tale and then my subconscious added missing pieces while I was sleeping.”

“He remembered that I almost drowned on the way to Neverland,” Emma explained, not wanting to put him on the spot any longer. “Do you think the rest of his memories will come back too?”

Regina frowned. “I’m not sure because we don’t know how this curse works,” she reminded her. A contemplative look crossed her face as she turned her attention to Killian.   
“Cursed memories take the place of original memories, but they don’t erase them completely. They just get buried deep and a simple conversation is not enough to trigger them. But certain emotions can be powerful enough to break through the barrier, especially if that emotion is happening in present time as well.”

Emma could see that Regina was holding back, which wasn’t like her. She glanced at Killian and noticed that he was looking at the floor as if fascinated by it and she felt like she was missing something. “Why would my telling him about the curse trigger the memory of me drowning?” That didn’t make any sense because one wasn’t connected to the other. Regina rolled her eyes and looked at Emma like she was a complete moron. Emma glared at her. “What?”

“It was the fear of losing you,” Killian replied quietly. “You did mention things were complicated between us in this other world, love.” His eyes were sad when they met hers and Emma felt like someone was squeezing her heart. He’d dreamt about losing her because he was worried that he would lose her now. Regina was right. She was a moron for not seeing it sooner and once again she felt like a terrible person for hurting him.

“At least one of you is perceptive,” Regina muttered. She waved her hand dismissively when they both glared at her. “Now that you’ve clued in the pirate, do you plan on telling anyone else the truth? I’m not sure it’s a good idea to tell Henry about this until we have more information. Whoever did this has to have used strong magic to be able to hijack my curse.” The irritation in her tone made it clear that she was not amused at the idea of someone having more power than she did.

Emma shook her head. “I think we should keep it to ourselves for now. There’s no point in upsetting anyone before we have the facts.” She wasn’t exactly looking forward to ruining everyone’s newfound happiness, even if it was all based on false memories. Hurting Killian every time she opened her mouth was already too much for her to take. “What about you? Have you thought about telling Robin? It must be strange living with someone that you’ve never met before.”

“Come again?” Killian asked before Regina had a chance to respond. He looked back and forth between the two women incredulously. “You and Robin were not together in this other life?”

“No,” Regina replied. Emma noticed the way her body tensed with fresh irritation and she wondered if it was the situation or the fact that they were questioning it. Regina and Robin had seemed pretty happy together at dinner the night before and there was no doubt that she adored Roland, as did Henry. “Robin and Roland weren’t brought over with the original curse. Yesterday was the first time we’ve officially met in this land. He doesn’t know that.”

Killian snorted under his breath, but didn’t comment as Regina sent him another fierce glare. “How did you figure out his name, by the way?” Emma asked, attempting to diffuse the tension, before Regina lobbed a fireball in Killian’s direction. She’d meant to text Regina after she’d learned Robin’s name, but she’d gotten caught up with her mother and Henry. It had slipped her mind until dinner, but Emma hadn’t found another moment alone with Regina to ask her.

Color rose in the queen’s cheeks and Emma wished circumstances were different so she could enjoy her discomfort a little more. There didn’t seem to be much that rattled Regina’s composure. But Emma could feel the waves of uneasiness coming off Killian as he sat beside her and that was enough to keep Emma focused on the severity of their situation.

“I tried talking to him to see if he would reveal it, but thankfully he’s not one to speak in the third person so that didn’t work,” Regina replied. “Then I waited for him to take a shower and I searched through his things, but I couldn’t find any identification in his wallet. Whoever cast this curse was not as thorough with the details as I was,” she added, her voice carrying more than a hint of pride.

“Not really sure that’s something to brag about,” Emma muttered and Killian made a noise of agreement beside her, once again earning them both glares from Regina. Emma glanced sideways at Killian and noticed a smirk on his lips and she couldn’t help smiling at that, relieved to see that he wasn’t completely traumatized by all of this. Regina cleared her throat pointedly and it was Emma’s turn to roll her eyes. “Sorry,” she waved her hand for Regina to continue. “So what did you do?”

The color returned to Regina’s face and her gaze shifted to the wall behind their heads. “Before he left for work, I managed to get a piece of his hair and then I did a quick spell to reveal the information.”

“Okay,” Emma said slowly, not sure why Regina seemed to be uncomfortable with that. She was surprised that magic hadn’t been her first solution. “So there’s a spell that you can use to identify someone just by their hair? Maybe you should teach me that. It might come in handy next time there’s a break-in somewhere.”

Regina hesitated, her eyes still focused over their heads. “The spell will only work if the person is your true love.”

Emma’s eyes widened at that and now she understood why Regina had been so reluctant to explain. The queen hadn’t gone into too much detail when she’d told her that Tinker Bell had led Regina to her soulmate in the Enchanted Forest, but Emma could guess Regina had bolted from the mere idea of love and happiness or else their lives all would have run a very different course. So she could see why trying the spell and having it work had probably been a big deal.

“I guess I probably won’t need to use that spell after all to track down petty thieves.”

“Not unless you have a certain suspect in mind,” Regina replied dryly, her gaze flickering to Killian for just long enough to make Emma’s face burn red. She supposed she deserved that on some level for pushing Regina for details on Robin, but Emma was not touching that one and she certainly wasn’t going to even so much as glance in Killian’s direction to see if he’d had a reaction to the implication. Luckily, Regina kept talking.

“Enough small talk,” she said. “I’m going to speak to Gold and find out if he’s being as truthful as you think he is. I do know him better,” she added as if she expected Emma to protest. “In the meantime, you need to comb the town again and see if there’s anything out of the ordinary. I’m sure you can use your deputies to help you, even if you need to be a little colorful with the truth.”

Emma frowned. “David is my only deputy and what exactly am I supposed to tell him? He doesn’t know about magic and he has new memories so he might not be able to recognize someone who wasn’t here all along.”

Regina sighed, sending Emma another one of her scathing looks like she was wasting her time just by breathing. “The person who cast the curse will not have been affected by it so if that person isn’t someone we’re familiar with, he or she will stand out to those who are cursed. Also, you have three deputies, Miss. Swan. Your father, Robin and the pirate here,” she said.

“Really?” Emma asked. She realized that she’d never gotten around to asking Killian what his job was or if he’d needed to tell someone that he was going to be late when he’d offered to go with her to talk to Regina. “I thought you were working down by the docks.”

“Aye,” Killian replied. “Robin and I were both helping out there after the storm damage.” He absently stroked his chin as he sent her a contemplative look. “Was there a storm in this other world of ours?”

Emma started to tell him that there hadn’t been, but Regina spoke first. “No, but the damage was caused by the curse or what the curse was supposed to do. Storybrooke should have been wiped off the map as we were sent back to the Enchanted Forest. Parts of the town must have already started crumbling when the new curse took the place of mine.” The irritation was back in her voice again.

“Maybe there’s a clue there,” Emma pointed out. She didn’t really understand how magic worked, but she knew it left traces behind. “After you talk to Gold, maybe you could go visit Robin at work and see what you can find down by the docks? Killian and I will check the woods and I’ll ask David to canvas the main part of town to see if he spots anything out of the ordinary.”

Regina nodded and got to her feet, smoothing her hand over her dress. “I was planning on going there to check on Roland anyway. Call me if you find anything,” she said.

“We will,” Emma replied. Killian sent a polite nod in Regina’s direction and followed Emma down the hall and out of the house. They walked to the car in silence and Emma could see that he was a million miles away again, probably trying to make sense of everything in his head. She knew she should probably give him space to do just that, but she really didn’t like when there were long stretches of silence between them. “I’m sorry about this.”

“There’s no need for you to keep apologizing, love,” Killian assured her. He settled into the car beside her and sent a reassuring smile in her direction, which would have been more convincing if it reached his eyes. “Perhaps we’ll find the answers we’re looking for on our search and things can revert back to normal.”

His gaze shifted to the window and Emma’s heart was heavy as she turned the key in the ignition. She knew that was supposed to make her feel better, but for some reason, it had the opposite effect.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for being so wonderful.

 “Emma, love, where are we going?”

The sound of his voice startled her so much that Emma stumbled on the rough ground beneath her feet. Killian reacted instantly, his arm going around her waist to steady her. “Thank you.” Her eyes met his and she saw concern mixed with so many questions in their endless blue depths.

She hated that there was nothing she could do to make this easier on him. It had been a few hours since they’d left Regina’s. After a quick stop at the station to give David a bare bones briefing of what she needed him to do, Emma had parked her car near the town line and set out into the forest with Killian.

Silence had stretched between them as they walked and Emma had let herself get lost in her thoughts, mainly of him, and now that he’d asked, she realized they’d just been walking and not really searching for anything. Of course it wasn’t like she knew who or what they were looking for in the first place.

“There doesn’t appear to be anyone or anything in this part of the forest,” Killian commented. Under different circumstances, Emma might have rolled her eyes and thanked Captain Obvious for the observation, but she was the one who had dragged him out there so she didn’t blame him for the confusion.

“I know,” Emma replied. “But in my experience, things tend to happen in the woods, especially near the town line or the toll bridge or that stupid well. Maybe people feel more comfortable here because it reminds them of home.” That had always been her suspicion once she learned that the Enchanted Forest was a real place and not just the setting of a fairy tale.

“Perhaps.” Killian fell silent as they continued walking. There were more fallen tree branches than usual and some parts of the forest were barren altogether, which Emma assumed was a consequence of Regina’s attempted spell. Other than that, nothing seemed out of the ordinary and Emma really hoped Regina was having some luck with Gold because she didn’t know what else to do.

As they hiked through an uphill clearing that led to a denser area of trees, Emma watched Killian out of the corner of her eye. His gaze remained focused on the path ahead, but she could see his mind was elsewhere, the occasional frown marring his features. She wondered if he was thinking about everything she’d told him or the memories that had haunted his dreams. Emma wanted him to remember who he was, but at the same time, the last thing she wanted was to cause him more pain.

Distracted by her thoughts, Emma didn’t see the log until she was falling over it. Once again, Killian’s reflexes saved her from face planting. He caught her, spinning her away from the ground and into his arms. Her hands landed on his chest as she attempted to recover her balance. “Thanks, sorry,” she added.

“No need to stand on ceremony, love.” Killian’s arms tightened around her waist, a slow smirk crossing his face as she found her body pressed against his. “If you wanted me to put my arms around you, all you had to do was ask.” He winked at her.

Emma laughed, but she didn’t move away from his embrace. The flirty statement, the look on his face, was just so _him_ that she suddenly felt lighter than she had all day. “This reminds me of when we climbed the beanstalk except that time _I_ saved you from a trip wire.”

“Ah, so this isn’t the first time you’ve used misfortune as an excuse to grab me?” Killian ran his tongue over his teeth and Emma swallowed hard, the jacket and sweater combination she wore becoming much too warm. “Perhaps things are not as complicated between us as you make them out to be.”

She stiffened at that, but fought the need to move out of his arms and retreat into the safety of herself. That’s what she normally did when things got too real between them. But she couldn’t do that in this reality, not when she was already asking way too much from him and he was doing everything she needed without question because that was just his way. It wasn’t his fault that she was a goddamned open book to him and he’d been trying to make a joke and accidentally ended up calling her out on her behavior.

The smirk faded from his face and something changed in his eyes when her body remained tense, but he didn’t let go of her. “Tell me the rest of our tale. What is it that prevents us from being together like this? Is it because I’m a _villain_?” She didn’t miss the self-loathing in his voice when he practically spit the word out of his mouth.

“No,” Emma replied firmly, setting aside her own issues for the moment. “You weren’t just a villain. You were – _are_ – a good man, who made a lot of mistakes. Yes, you did some vile things and I’m not condoning that, but you’ve been trying to make up for your past. You’ve been there for me and Henry and David and you’re not that person anymore. You’re _not_ the problem.”

His eyes searched hers and Emma kept her gaze steady, wanting him to see that she meant every word because she did. Hook had done some terrible things in the name of his revenge, but he’d set all of it aside and come back for _her_. He’d helped them save Henry and he’d saved David and he’d helped rescue Neal and all he’d asked for in return was a chance to win her heart when she was ready. And then Pan had cast his curse and everything went to hell again, but none of that changed what he’d done for her and her family.

Killian must have found what he was looking for because he nodded slightly, but this time, he released his grip on her and looked away, staring out across the wide expanse of trees ahead of them. “Is it Neal, then?” His gaze was still on the trees so he didn’t see Emma’s mouth fall open at the unexpected question. After her chat with Neal yesterday, she wouldn’t have guessed that Killian would jump to that conclusion.

“What’s the story here?” Emma asked. She knew it probably seemed like she was deflecting and maybe part of her was, but she needed an answer. “When I talked to him yesterday, things seemed pretty easygoing between us and you both mentioned that you were having fun together at David’s party. Are we all friends?”

“Aye.” Killian turned to face her again and if he was put off by her stall tactics, he didn’t show it. “Neal is Henry’s father, but you two haven’t been together since before he was born. That’s all I know.” Emma saw the frustration in his eyes as he obviously tried to recall more of the story, but there didn’t seem to be any other information. “Were you – are you – together now?”

“No,” Emma replied and she didn’t miss the relief that crossed his face. She couldn’t really blame him for that, all things considered. “I meant it when I said things were complicated. I hadn’t seen Neal for over eleven years and then I found out that he was Gold’s son and he was back in Henry’s life and then Henry got kidnapped and – what?” Killian watched her, eyebrow raised and a familiar look in his eyes – the look he gave her when he assumed she was holding something back.

“You’ve already told me this part of the tale,” Killian pointed out. “You left me in New York after I tried to kill Gold and then we all converged back here in Storybrooke right before Pan’s minions took Henry to Neverland. None of that answers _my_ question.” He took a step closer to her, his eyes boring into hers. “You say it’s not me and it’s not Neal keeping us apart, so what is it? Do you not return my feelings at all?”

There was hitch in his voice that nearly broke her. Emma _hated_ talking about her feelings – she hated thinking about her feelings or acknowledging them in any way because that made them real and real feelings had always led to heartbreak. But this version of Killian didn’t know that because they were happy together or they had been until she’d ruined everything with the truth.

She couldn’t be selfish with him again. Emma thought back to the Echo Caves and how he’d laid his heart out at her feet in front of her parents to help her get to Neal. She’d refused to dwell on it at the time, but Emma understood how painful and selfless that had been and now it was her turn.

“It’s not that simple.” She saw his face fall again as they trudged through the next section of trees and came to the clearing by the lake. Emma reached for Killian’s hand and gently tugged him toward the bench. Once they were seated, he immediately let go of her hand and Emma tried not to be offended. She knew he was probably just attempting to give her space. She summoned her courage and started talking.

“I fell in love with Neal when I was a teenager. I was young and stupid and I’d felt unwanted my entire life, but I believed he was my happily ever after,” Emma said. She glanced at Killian and could see he was listening intently. Nerves fluttered in her stomach, but she kept going. She told him how things had ended with Neal and she’d found herself alone and pregnant in jail. His jaw clenched and she recognized the anger flaring in his eyes, but he still didn’t comment.

Emma explained that she gave up Henry to give him his best chance, but from that moment, she kept her heart closed because she never wanted to trust anyone again. “Even with Henry when I first came to Storybrooke, I was distant. Everyone leaves me. That’s just what I’m used to so if I don’t let anyone in, I can’t get hurt.”

Her voice cracked and Killian laid his hand over hers. “That must have made for a lonely existence.”

“It did,” Emma confirmed. She used her free hand to brush away the tears threatening to fall. “I don’t let people in and you started pushing my buttons the day we met because you understood me. I hated it,” she admitted with a sheepish smile.

“Because my life went down the same lonely path,” Killian said. His voice was quiet and the familiar sadness reflected in his eyes when Emma met his gaze, surprised to hear him say that. “It was a feeling I had in the dream,” he explained. “Then I remembered you asking me to part of something.”

Emma nodded. “We’ve both been carrying around a lot of pain and anger. But I never had to explain myself to you because you saw past all of my walls and issues. I didn’t appreciate that.” He snorted and she tried and failed to glare at him, laughing instead.

He sent her a knowing look. “You’re stubborn in this life too, love.”

“Anyway,” Emma continued pointedly, unable to stop smiling while he just sat there grinning at her. “Neal coming back brought up a lot of unresolved feelings and Henry wanted his parents to get back together and Neal wanted another chance too.”

Killian’s smile faded, but he kept his hand on hers. “What did you want?”

“I wanted the whole thing to go away,” Emma replied. “When I thought Neal was dead, I…” She swallowed hard, hating herself all over again for being so cold. “I was relieved because it meant I didn’t have to deal with him and the pain. I loved him. I do love him. But not the way I did when I was seventeen and I never will again. A future with Neal is not an option for me because I’m not in love with him.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Emma felt enormous relief wash over her. She’d dodged her parents’ questions and Neal’s requests for a second chance and she’d admitted her secret to Neal in the Echo Caves, but somehow this felt different. This was her finally finding the strength to let go and it felt good – so much better than she’d ever imagined.

“Perhaps the distance this world provides made it easier to find perspective,” Killian commented and Emma wondered if he had some kind of superpower that let him read her mind no matter what reality they were in.

“I like that we coexist here.” She knew it wasn’t real, but maybe it could be once things went back to normal – if they went back to normal. Things would be awkward at first, but they could find a way to be friends for Henry’s sake. The mere possibility made her feel peaceful in a way that she hadn’t ever expected to feel again. “Thank you, Killian.”

He raised an eyebrow. “For asking too many questions?”

“No.” Emma rolled her eyes more out of habit than actual annoyance. “For giving me the push I needed, even if I didn’t want one. You do that a lot and I’ve never thanked you.” Instead, she normally threw her walls up higher, made a sarcastic comment or just walked away altogether.

A faint blush colored his cheeks and his gaze shifted to the lake as he reached up to scratch behind his ear. “There’s no need to thank me. Should we keep walking or turn back?”

The abrupt subject change momentarily confused her, but then Emma realized he feared the answer to his original question. She reached for his hand again and waited for him to look at her. When he did, she saw the nerves swimming in his eyes and somehow that gave her the courage she needed.

“After you saved David’s life in Neverland, you more or less dared me to kiss you and I did.” His eyebrows practically shot up to his hairline and she felt her face grow warmer. “I told you it was a one-time thing, but you didn’t believe me. You understood that I needed to focus on Henry, but you promised to win my heart once we got back.”

Despite the tension, Killian managed to give her a smug look. “That does sound like a promise I would make.”

Emma laughed. “You made me another one too when we were getting ready to leave Storybrooke behind to escape the curse. You said you’d think of me every day and I said ‘good’.” She tightened her grip on his hand, her gaze never leaving his. “I meant that.”

He watched her closely, not saying anything and Emma felt her heart pounding against the wall of her chest. She knew it wasn’t exactly a romantic declaration and part of her understood why it might not be enough for him, but it was all she had. He mattered to her and she cared about him, but saying the words would make it too real and she couldn’t handle that on top of everything else she was juggling.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Killian leaned into her and pressed a kiss to her cheek, his lips lingering against her skin. “Good,” he whispered and there was nothing Emma could do to stop the shudder that went through her. Killian chuckled and got to his feet, pulling Emma up with him. “Shall we go back?”

Emma nodded, not really trusting her voice at the moment. Sooner or later, she knew she’d have to deal with her feelings for Killian and what she wanted. For now, she was just grateful that he seemed willing to stay by her side even though she probably didn’t deserve him.

(~)(~)(~)

As her eyes scanned the paperwork in front of her, Emma absently reached for the coffee mug on her desk. She took a sip and immediately fought the urge to spit the ice cold liquid back into the cup. “Gross,” she muttered. Emma set it back down, out of her reach and signed her name at the bottom of the police report. The drunk and disorderly bust outside the Rabbit Hole and a broken window at the drug store were the only incidents that week, aside from the remaining cleanup from the storm-slash-curse.

Two weeks had passed by since she’d attempted to leave town with Henry only to wake up in a new life and they were no closer to finding out what happened or why. They hadn’t discovered any new residents in Storybrooke, there were no threats or villains lurking around and everyone still seemed as happy as they’d been that first day. Even though it frustrated her to have this mystery hanging over her head, Emma had to admit that living in a town filled with content citizens and peace and quiet felt pretty good.

Of course her mind never strayed from the curse hijacking for long. Regina had concluded that Gold was either under the curse or he’d gotten a lot better at pretending since the first curse. They’d talked to Tinker Bell and Mother Superior, but neither of them seemed to know they were capable of magic nor did any of the other fairies. Regina continued to grumble about the person powerful enough to override her magic, but other than that, she didn’t seem too concerned with getting answers.

If she was being honest with herself, Emma couldn’t really blame her because it wasn’t like she was doing everything in her power to find the truth either. She did feel guilty that people forgot who they were, like her parents, but at the same time, they were happy with their current lives. It wasn’t like when Regina cursed everyone to forget who they were. Or at least that was what Emma told herself when she tried to ignore the fact that she was probably being selfish.

“Emma?”

She nearly jumped out of her chair at the sound of David’s voice. Emma glanced up and her father sent her an apologetic look from the doorway. “Sorry, I said hello when I came in, but I guess you didn’t hear me. Is everything all right?”

That was a loaded question if she’d ever heard one. Emma had considered telling her parents the truth, but after the pain she’d watched Killian go through, she hadn’t been able to do it. She didn’t see the point of telling them their lives were based on lies when they still didn’t have the facts. Guilt churned in her stomach, but she pushed it aside. “Did you need something?”

David shook his head. “I just wanted to tell you that I ran final patrol for the night and the streets are quiet. I’m heading home, but I already forwarded the switchboard to my cell. Do you want a ride back to your place?”

Emma opened her mouth to tell him that she wanted to finish the paperwork, but she’d already done that and David knew how little crime there’d been that week so the excuse wouldn’t fly. She sent him a genuine smile. “That would be great, thanks.” She tidied up her desk, grabbed the stale coffee and paused to drop the mug in the sink before she slipped on her coat and followed David out the door to his truck.

He opened the passenger door for her and then moved around to the driver’s side. Emma pulled on her seatbelt and noticed a familiar look on her father’s face – the one that said he wanted to talk to her about something, but didn’t know the best way to start the conversation. She figured the least she could do was help him. “Is there something on your mind?”

David laughed. “You’ve always been a little too good at that.” He started the car, glanced in the side mirror and pulled away from the curb. “I just wanted to ask if you’ve noticed anything odd about Killian lately. He’s been quieter than usual and that’s not like him. I don’t want to pry, but as much as he says he’s fine…” His voice trailed off and he glanced at her sideways.

The guilt she’d buried earlier resurfaced and Emma did her best to keep her expression carefully blank. She couldn’t lie to her father and tell him that everything was fine because it wasn’t. Ever since she’d told Killian the truth, bits and pieces of memories had started mixing into his dreams at night, but the details were often jumbled and there were times that Emma couldn’t fill in the blanks for him because he had over three-hundred years of memories.

“He hasn’t been sleeping well,” Emma admitted. Part of her felt like she was betraying his confidence, but Killian and David were friends in this world and David’s concern was genuine. “I think he might be coming down with something after pushing himself too hard at the docks.” That part was an outright lie, but Emma didn’t know how else to explain it since the truth was not an option.

David frowned. “Maybe he should take a few days off until he’s feeling better. Maybe you both should,” he added, glancing over at her again. “And I know what you’re going to say, but it never hurt anyone to have a few days of rest. You two can return the favor and cover for me after the wedding. In the meantime, Robin and I will handle everything.”

Emma recognized his ‘commanding prince’ tone and knew that arguing would be pointless. “I’ll talk to him,” she agreed as David brought the truck to a stop in front of their apartment building. She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thanks for always looking out for both of us. Say hi to Mary Margaret for me.”

She climbed out of the truck and closed the door behind her, noting the proud smile on her father’s face. Emma bit her lip, doing her best to ignore the sudden tightness in her chest. David was still David, but she missed him being her father. There had to be a way to break this curse and get everyone their memories back. “Too bad you have no clue what that is,” she muttered to herself as she climbed the stairs to their apartment.

Pulling out her keys, Emma unlocked the door and started to call out that she was home, but stopped when she caught sight of Henry frantically waving his hands from the couch. She raised an eyebrow and he pointed to Killian, who was carefully lifting a sleeping Roland from the middle of a pillow fort on the floor. He straightened up and mouthed a hello in Emma’s direction before he carried Roland down the hall to Henry’s room.

Emma decided that there was no reason to even acknowledge whatever the hell was happening to her female organs at the sight and she definitely did not want to think about why her heart felt like it would burst out of her chest at any moment. Instead, she quietly closed the door at her back, hung her coat in the closet and then went to join Henry on the couch, pausing to drop a kiss to the top of his head. “Hey kid,” she greeted. “Did you boys have fun tonight?

“Hey Mom,” Henry replied with a grin. “We did. Killian got us pizza and we had ice cream while we watched _Star Wars_. Roland stayed up past his bedtime, but then he just fell over in the fort.” He snickered and then immediately launched into puppy eyes. “Can I watch _Empire Strikes Back_ with you guys, please?”

“Your movie privileges have been suspended, lad,” Killian told him sternly as he walked back into the room and moved around the couch, sending Henry an affronted look. “What happened to the ice cream being our secret?” He raised an eyebrow.

Henry looked sheepish for about two seconds before he turned back to Emma and smirked. “Killian’s worried Aunt Regina’s going to come after him for giving Roland too much sugar. I think he’s scared of her,” he said in an exaggerated whisper.

Killian scoffed. “I most certainly am not and just for that, you can dismantle the fort on your own.” He motioned for Henry to get to work. Henry laughed, but he scrambled off the couch and started placing the cushions and blankets back where they belonged. Satisfied, Killian took his seat beside Emma. “Any problems at the station?” he asked.

She shook her head, unable to keep the smile off her face. Moments like this made it a lot easier for her to ignore the fact that they were cursed. “Everything’s fine. Crime in Storybrooke remains nonexistent.” Emma wanted to tell him about her conversation with David, but that would have to wait until Henry went to sleep. “Maybe one movie won’t hurt.”

Henry cheered and Killian sighed like it was a chore, even as he shifted closer to the end of the couch to make room for Henry. “You’d best not fall asleep because I’m not carrying you to bed as well,” he warned, reaching for the remote. Henry sent him a smug look as he settled between the two of them on the couch, but Emma didn’t miss the way her son leaned toward Killian as he got settled. And suddenly her heart was turning over in her chest again.

Emma’s mind drifted as the movie played. This domestic thing she had going with Henry and Killian still felt surreal to her sometimes. Killian was so patient with Henry when he helped him with his homework or made sure that he did his chores. Her son worshipped Killian in return and more often than not, Emma felt guilty for not telling Henry the truth. But Regina didn’t think it was a good idea, especially since Henry spent a lot of time with Neal, and therefore Gold and Belle, and she didn’t want to risk more people finding out about the curse or spell or whatever the hell had happened to them.

Of course if she was being honest with herself, which she usually wasn’t, Emma would have to admit that she didn’t want to give up moments like this or even the moments when it was just her and Killian hanging around the apartment when Henry was with Neal or Regina. Even though she’d lived with her parents for awhile, this felt more like her own little family and it was complicated, but they were still hers and for the first time in her life, she felt like she had a real home. The thought overwhelmed her and Emma quickly turned her attention to the movie, letting herself get lost in their lives instead of her own.

They made it through the entire movie, but Henry’s eyelids were practically closed by the time the credits rolled. Emma gently tugged him off the couch and wrapped her arm around his shoulders as she led him down the hall to his room. Roland slept soundly in the bean bag chair he insisted on using for a bed when he stayed with them. Emma waited for Henry to wash up and brush his teeth and then tucked him into bed, pointedly ignoring his weak protests that he was too old for that. She pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead and watched as he drifted off before she even made it to the door.

Emma closed it behind her, leaving it open just a crack so the nightlight in the hallway illuminated part of the room in case either of the boys woke up during the night. She noticed that Killian had turned off the lights in the living room so she headed for the master bedroom and found him already in bed. “Looks like Henry wasn’t the only one too tired for another movie,” she teased.

“I have no idea what you mean, love.” He sent her a sleepy smile and Emma just shook her head, pausing to grab her pajamas before she headed into the bathroom. Sharing a room with him had gotten less awkward after their talk near the lake, but he still kept to himself more often than not. Even though she appreciated that he wanted to give her space, Emma found herself missing the easy affection they’d shared before she’d told him the truth more and more lately.

She finished brushing her teeth and stepped out of the bathroom, half-expecting Killian to be asleep. But he was sitting up, looking even more awake than when she’d left him. “Did something happen tonight?” he asked.

For a second, Emma was confused, but then she remembered him asking about the station earlier. He must have realized there was more to that she wanted to say. He was good at that. “David drove me home and mentioned that he was worried about you.” She slipped into bed beside him, mirroring his seated position as she leaned back against the headboard. “I told him that you weren’t sleeping well. I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to say.”

Killian nodded. “That’s a plausible excuse for my behavior.” He ran his hand through his hair and Emma could see the tension in his movements. She rested her hand against his arm and he sent her an appreciative look. “Perhaps I need to be more cautious to not let my thoughts get the best of me when I’m with Dave.”

She wanted to apologize again for dragging him into this with her, but he’d asked her to stop after what had to have been the tenth time. “He suggested that we should both take time off work. Maybe it’s not the worst idea. It’s not like crime is running rampant in the streets.”

Surprise crossed Killian’s face as he turned to look at her. “Are you sure that’s what you want? It seemed to me that you were using work as a distraction these past few nights,” he commented.

Emma felt her cheeks turning red. She should have known that he would pick up on that because he picked up on everything when it came to her. “I’m sorry. I just…” She paused, not sure how to explain that being around him confused her more than ever, especially when she watched him taking care of her son. The feelings she tried so hard to ignore had been growing stronger so of course she’d done her best to ignore them and ended up avoiding Killian in the process. But she was tired of playing that game because being alone was not what she wanted. “I don’t want to be distracted anymore.”

He didn’t say anything, but Emma caught the flash of hope in his eyes. She hesitated for less than a second before she leaned over and pressed her lips against his. It was just a whisper of a kiss, but it was enough to send her a jolt of electricity through her entire system. She kissed him again, sliding her fingers into his hair to tug him closer and he finally responded, his lips moving almost cautiously over hers like he expected her to change her mind at any second.

That was the last thing she wanted. Emma shifted closer to him, her other hand resting against his chest as he wrapped his arm around her waist and deepened the kiss, making her moan into his mouth. His lips moved hungrily over hers, his arm tightening around her and keeping her close as the frustration of the past two weeks poured out of him. Emma kissed him back just as hard and hungrily, not pulling away until her lungs felt like they were going to burst.

Breathing hard, Killian rested his forehead against hers. “That was…”

She couldn’t help smiling at how completely _wrecked_ he looked, even though she imagined she probably had a similar expression on her face as well. “Just the beginning,” she told him before she leaned in and kissed him again.

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love you all so much. Thank you, thank you, thank you for the enthusiastic response to this story. It makes me flail to hear that you’re enjoying it. 
> 
> Another note: the rating goes up in this chapter, but if smut is not your thing, feel free to skip the section where Emma returns to the apartment and just jump to the final part of the chapter because that's important...

Emma fought the urge to pace the living room as she watched Henry cramming the last of his supplies into his already overstuffed backpack. Roland stood at his side, practically bouncing up and down with uncontainable excitement. He fired question after question at Henry for each item that he packed and despite her nerves, Emma couldn’t help the pride that welled in her chest when her patient son explained each one, sometimes more than once.

As Henry showed Roland how his flashlight worked, her eyes drifted to the kitchen where Killian and Robin were leaning against the counter, both of them watching the boys with amused expressions as they traded stories about random calls they’d gone on that day. They’d finished the dock cleanup earlier in the week so they were back to standard patrolling because the tiny sheriff’s station was _not_ meant to have four people milling around it at once, something Emma discovered the first day all three deputies appeared in her office.

A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts and Emma crossed the room and pulled it open. Neal grinned at her and she automatically stepped to the side so he could enter the apartment. “Hey,” he greeted. He lifted his hand to wave at Killian and Robin and then turned his gaze to Henry and Roland. “Are you boys ready to go camping?”

Roland cheered and Henry’s grin widened, even as he struggled with the zipper on his backpack, “All set.” Henry lifted the bag, swinging it around to his shoulder and almost falling down in the process. Roland hurried over to Robin and tugged on his jacket. “Daddy, I want to camp now.”

“And camp you shall, my boy,” Robin replied. He lifted Roland into his arms and thumped Killian on the shoulder. “It’s not too late to join us, Jones.”

“Perhaps another time,” Killian replied. He patted Roland on the back and the little boy shifted in his father’s arms and lunged forward, attempting to hug Killian’s head. “Bye Uncle Kian!”

Emma and Neal both laughed at the sight and then Henry nearly bowled her over when he hugged her, the combined weight of him and his backpack sent her stumbling back. “Have fun, kid.” She waited for him to rush out of the apartment before she turned to Neal. “Just be careful out there and if anything happens, call me right away.”

Neal raised an eyebrow, taking a step back to let Robin and Roland pass by them, Roland chatting excitedly about fishing at the lake. Once they left, Neal gave her an amused look. “It’s Storybrooke, Emma. Nothing ever happens here. You worry too much. Later, Killian,” he called before he walked out and pulled the door closed behind him.

“Easy for you to say,” Emma muttered at the back of the door. Maybe she was overreacting, but the idea of Henry camping in the woods, even with Neal and Robin there to watch over him, made her nervous because she knew better than anyone how much stuff happened in those woods. Plus they still hadn’t figured out who was behind this curse or why it was happening and she didn’t like the idea of Henry being in the woods all night.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist and Emma jumped, relaxing a second later when she felt Killian’s body pressed against her back. “You can say it,” she said.

“Say what, love?” Killian asked. He brushed his thumb over her stomach and Emma couldn’t help the tiny sigh that escaped her lips as she leaned against his chest and took the quiet comfort he was offering. “You can say that I’m overreacting. I know I am.”

“Perhaps,” he agreed. Killian pressed his lips to the top of her head and Emma smiled, reaching up to cup his cheek as he continued, “Neal is right about this version of Storybrooke. It’s been over three weeks since this curse took hold and none of us have faced peril. Henry will return tomorrow unscathed and bursting with stories of his camping adventure.”

_Stupid reasonable pirate_ , Emma thought to herself as she turned in his arms to face him. He arched an eyebrow like he knew exactly what she was thinking and Emma couldn’t help but smile. That had been happening a lot lately, ever since she’d kissed him. He just had a way of making her feel better and he made her realize just how much she’d been craving that simple reassurance in her life – to know that she had someone to rely on and it felt good to know that she didn’t have to deal with anything alone.

“Thanks for that,” Emma told her. She leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. She’d meant for it to be a quick kiss, but somehow that never worked for them. The second he responded to the kiss, she felt it in every fiber of her being. Emma shifted closer, pressing her body to his as his arm came around her waist. He slid his hand into her hair, deepening the kiss and making all rational thought fly right out of her head. She didn’t even know how to describe the effect he had on her – she felt like she was flying and drowning and burning alive all at once and she just wanted _more_.

Killian broke the kiss, pulling back just enough to rest his forehead against hers. “As enjoyable as this is, you’re going to be late.” He twirled a piece of her hair around his fingertip. “Something tells me the mayor does not like to be kept waiting in any realm of existence. I imagine your mother does not appreciate it either.”

“You’re right,” Emma agreed, but she didn’t move out of his embrace. Instead, she slipped her fingers into the belt loops of his jeans and tugged him closer. “Maybe I should just skip dinner. We could order a pizza or Chinese or find something else to do with our time that doesn’t involve food.” His gaze never left hers, but Emma didn’t miss the way his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed hard at the suggestion.

It took him a moment to respond and when he did, his voice sounded rougher than usual. “Is that truly what you desire, Emma? Or are you grasping for an alternative to having dinner with Mary Margaret and Regina?”

Guilt churned in her stomach and she decided that maybe it _wasn’t_ such a good thing that he could read her so well. Then again, she probably should have put more thought into her words instead of indicating exactly what he thought she’d implied. Even though they had grown closer over the past week _that_ particular line hadn’t been crossed yet. A layer of tension remained between them because they both knew the situation was awkward and it seemed easier to just ignore this particular elephant in the room. Or it had until she’d opened her mouth.

“I’m sorry,” Emma replied. He nodded and she knew that he was giving her an out and normally she would latch onto it for dear life, but he deserved better than a quick subject change. “It’s not that I don’t _desire_ that.” Her cheeks flamed red at the admission and the corners of his mouth turned up, but he managed to keep quiet as he waited for her to continue. “But I am looking for an excuse not to go to dinner.”

“As I suspected,” Killian said. She opened her mouth to defend herself, but he placed his finger over her lips. “It’s all right, Emma. You’re more than welcome to seduce me any time you’d like, but perhaps now would be best spent on a discussion as to why you’re so apprehensive about dining with your mother and Regina.”

Emma found herself momentarily distracted by the idea of seducing him and what that would entail, but she quickly pushed it aside, hoping he wouldn’t notice that her face was burning red – _again_. “It’s just weird. Mary Margaret doesn’t know that she’s my mother. She doesn’t know about her history with Regina. She thinks we’re all best friends and I just hate keeping this from her.”

Seeing David at the station every day wasn’t always easy, but Emma distracted herself with work or sent him out to patrol or left him to his own devices. She missed him being her father, but David acting as a deputy was normal and familiar enough that it didn’t always make her feel like the worst person in the world for keeping the truth from him. But she’d been dreading this dinner with Regina and her mother – to talk about the wedding of all things – because it was not something that would happen in their normal lives and not just because her parents had already been married for over thirty years.

Killian cupped her cheek in his hand, brushing his thumb under her chin until she met his gaze. “I know you feel guilty, love, but hiding from your mother is not the answer. It will only upset her and lead her to wonder why you’ve suddenly decided not to have anything to do with her. Perhaps you should use this evening as an opportunity to enjoy yourself.”

She just stared at him for a moment wondering how he could be so damn reasonable. It sounded so simple when he put it that way and Emma knew he was right and she needed to stop over thinking everything. “Thank you,” she said for what felt like the millionth time since this reality had started. Emma pressed another kiss to his lips, but pulled back before he had a chance to respond. “I am going to be late,” she reminded him with a smile.

“You’re a bloody tease,” Killian replied. But he was grinning as Emma headed to the closet to grab her coat.

(~)(~)(~)

Forty-five minutes later, Emma found herself laughing as Mary Margaret spread samples of parchment paper across Regina’s coffee table and dared them to find the difference between the colors. “They’re all beige!” she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “Who knew beige came in so many shades?”

“They’re all hideous,” Regina commented, ignoring Mary Margaret’s glare as she took a generous sip of her wine. “Your wedding planner is a dolt for suggesting those.” She waved her hand over the table and Emma sucked in a sharp breath, half-expecting them to catch fire or magically vanish.

But Regina simply gestured to the one she found most offensive. “That one is so flimsy it looks like the ink would bleed right through it and then your invitation would be pointless. You need another color and thicker paper.”

Mary Margaret sighed. “I don’t have a wedding planner. These are from the stationary store. But maybe you’re right.” She tidied the samples into one pile and reached into the giant bag that sat on the floor beside her, pulling out a blue binder. She set it on the table and flipped it open, revealing brightly colored cloth samples. “Should we talk about colors for your bridesmaid dresses instead?”

Regina’s eyes widened comically and she choked on her wine. Emma slapped a hand over her mouth, but that didn’t stop the laughter bubbling in her throat. Mary Margaret glanced back and forth between them. “What is so funny about dresses?” she asked, confused. “I told you guys that I wouldn’t make you wear anything puffy or embarrassing.”

“Nothing,” Emma replied quickly. She swallowed her laughter and did her best to sober her expression. This was exactly the kind of weirdness she’d been worried about, but she couldn’t help basking in the hilarity of the moment. Snow White wanted the evil queen to be one of her bridesmaids. Another laugh tried to escape and Emma did her best to hide it with a cough, but she doubted she was fooling anyone.

“I’m going to go check on the lasagna. And get more wine,” Regina added before making her way to the kitchen, her heels clicking steadily against the floor. Emma realized that she obviously wasn’t the only one who liked to run away from uncomfortable situations.

Mary Margaret opened her mouth, presumably to ask Emma what she was missing, but her phone vibrated before she had a chance. As soon as she saw the screen, Mary Margaret’s face lit up and Emma silently thanked her father for his excellent timing. Mary Margaret responded to the text and was still smiling when she turned back to Emma. “David said patrol was slow so he’s grabbing a drink with Killian.”

Sure, why wouldn’t her father grab a drink with her pirate boyfriend? Emma tried not to bristle at the word ‘boyfriend’ because technically, that was the correct label in this reality, _and_ she really had no business freaking out over a term she’d used in her own head. Mary Margaret was watching her and Emma realized she probably wanted her to acknowledge that she’d spoken. “That’s nice,” she finally said and mentally rolled her eyes at the lame response.

Thankfully, Mary Margaret didn’t seem to notice. “I made them appointments for their tux fittings next week. We still need to pick a day to take Henry and Roland for theirs when you and Regina are both free.” She sent Emma a sheepish look. “I’m sorry. I know my brain is all wedding all the time.”

“You don’t have to apologize,” Emma assured her. No matter how weird this situation was, it still made her feel good to see her mother look so happy. “No one deserves a happy ending more than you and David.”

“Oh, Emma,” Mary Margaret replied softly and for the first time since they’d woken up in this new reality, Emma felt like she was talking to her mother instead of a good friend and it made her chest ache. “Everyone deserves a happy ending.”

It took all of Emma’s self-control to fight the urge to cry and launch herself into her mother’s arms. “You really believe that, don’t you?” Her voice sounded weird inside her own head, like she was back to being a little girl and finally had the chance to ask her mother to assure her that everything would be all right.

“Of course I do,” Mary Margaret replied without hesitation. Her eyes shone bright and she was every inch the fairy tale princess as she regarded her daughter. “I believe there is hope for everyone to have a happy ending. I think we’re all living proof of that. David and me, you and Killian, Regina and Robin, we have Henry and Roland and all of our other friends. We’re very lucky.”

Emma nodded and tried to swallow the lump in her throat. “This whole town is like the happy ending of a fairy tale,” she muttered. Of course that was ironic since Regina had created Storybrooke for the exact opposite reason, but so much had happened since then. Regina had changed. They’d all changed since the first curse had broken, including her. Maybe now there was a part of Emma that believed happy endings were possible after all.

“This is what I wanted for everyone.” She knew her mother wouldn’t understand the full extent of what she meant, but she needed to get it off her chest – she needed to express the feelings that had torn her apart when she’d had to drive away from them and she’d assumed she’d never see them again. “I wanted everyone to get their happy endings – the ones they were supposed to have all along instead of…” Emma paused, knowing she couldn’t finish that sentence. Mary Margaret didn’t know they’d almost been separated by a curse for the second time.

“Dinner is ready,” Regina announced, causing both women to jump and sparing Emma from having to stammer out an explanation to finish her sentence. Emma glanced at Regina, expecting to see her shooting one of her death glares in her direction, but the expression on her face was more contemplative than angry. “Maybe you should lay off the wine, Miss Swan.”

Mary Margaret laughed, but Emma noticed the remark lacked the venom she’d normally expect from Regina. That felt odd, but she was grateful she didn’t need to worry about explaining her emotional happy endings tangent to her mother. Emma grabbed her empty wine glass from the table and got to her feet, following Regina and her mother to the kitchen. She decided she would take this as a win and she would also heed Regina’s advice and stay away from wine for the rest of the evening.

(~)(~)(~)

Emma brought her bug to a stop outside the entrance to her parents’ building and turned to her mother with a smile. “Do you need help carrying that bag upstairs?”

Mary Margaret laughed as she unbuckled her seatbelt and hoisted the bag in question from the floor. “I promise there will be much less wedding talk next time we have dinner. We still had fun though,” she pointed out, her voice holding the hint of a question.

“We did,” Emma agreed, not wanting her mother to think she’d been trying to imply otherwise. It had been a lot of fun, which was why it was close to midnight and they were just getting home. She could already picture the knowing smirk Killian would give her, assuming he was still awake. Of course he would be, she decided. He wouldn’t go to sleep until she returned home.

Emma pushed the thought away when she noticed Mary Margaret watching her. “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

“Nothing important,” Mary Margaret replied. She hesitated and Emma recognized the look on her face. She had something to say, but she was nervous about how Emma would take it. The look was remarkably similar to the one David had given her when he’d wanted to talk about Killian. “You can say what’s on your mind,” she assured her.

Mary Margaret sent her a sheepish smile. “I just wanted to remind you that you can talk to me about anything.” She hesitated again. “Is everything all right with you and Killian?”

“ _Yes_ ,” Emma replied and immediately winced at the defensive way the simple word came out. “Why would you think otherwise?”

“Well…David mentioned Killian has been a little distant lately and you seemed upset earlier when you were talking about happy endings. I don’t mean to pry, but if you want to talk, I’m here.”

Emma didn’t know what to say. How could she explain why things were weird with Killian? And they were less weird now, but still weird in a different way because she found herself thinking about him and wanting him all the time. Of course she couldn’t say any of that to her mother because as far as Mary Margaret knew, they’d been together forever and they’d always been happy.

“Thank you for caring,” Emma said. She gave her mother a genuine smile. “Killian and I are fine. We’re better than fine. We’re happy.” She realized that was mostly true. They were happy aside from the awkwardness that came with keeping this major secret and navigating whatever was happening between them.

“Good,” Mary Margaret said firmly. She sent Emma a beaming smile. “You deserve to be happy, Emma, and so does Killian. He’s a good man and he loves you and Henry so much. Hold onto that.” She leaned over and gave Emma a hug, or attempted to with the bag in the way. “Thanks for the ride.”

“You’re welcome,” Emma replied absently. Part of her was amused to hear her mother endorsing Killian so passionately since Hook was not Snow White’s favorite person, but mostly Emma couldn’t help thinking just how right her mother was about him. Maybe it was time to stop running from what she felt for him and just accept the happiness they could have together.

Once Mary Margaret disappeared into her building, Emma drove the short distance to her apartment in a daze. She thought about everything they’d been through, in this reality, in the Storybrooke she knew, in Neverland, in the Enchanted Forest and all the times Killian had come through for her. She knew he wanted a life with her and with Henry and the thought terrified her, but it also gave her hope because maybe Mary Margaret was right and she did deserve a happy ending.

Emma let herself into the apartment and locked the door behind her before dropping her keys and jacket on the chair as she moved down the hall to the bedroom, not surprised to find Killian awake and reading in bed, the covers pooled around his waist and his hair in its usual state of adorable disarray. He glanced up from the book and smiled at her and her heart did that thing where it flipped over in her chest and suddenly Emma knew that she didn’t want to waste any more time over thinking anything.

“Quite the late hour to be returning home, love,” Killian commented and then the smirk she’d predicted crossed his face as he set the book down on the nightstand. “May I presume that dinner went more pleasantly than you were expecting?”

“Yes,” Emma replied. She rolled her eyes when his smirk widened as she dropped her phone on the nightstand. “What about you? Did you have fun with David?” She pulled off her shoes and carried them to the closet, carelessly tossing them on the floor before crossing the room to stand at the foot of the bed.

“Aye,” Killian said. “We shared a round with Leroy and Victor and Ruby. The Rabbit Hole was quiet lively tonight. I…” His voice trailed off and it was Emma’s turn to smirk when his eyes widened as she reached behind her and lowered the zipper of her dress. “What are you doing?”

She ignored him for a moment, continuing the task at hand. The material loosened and Emma hooked her fingers in the dress straps and tugged it down her body. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m getting ready for bed,” she replied innocently as the dress pooled at her feet, leaving her clad in simple black lace.

His eyes trailed over her and she was extremely grateful that she’d had the foresight to put on nice lingerie when she’d picked out her clothes earlier because the way he was looking at her had her blood humming. Emma stepped out of her dress and reached up to comb her fingers through her hair to check for tangles. She didn’t miss the way Killian’s eyes were drawn to her chest nor did she forget that he hadn’t spoken in almost a full minute.

“Emma.” She raised an eyebrow and he managed to lift his gaze from her chest to meet hers. “What are you doing?” he asked again.

“Well you did say that I was welcome to seduce you any time I liked, did you not?” His eyes widened even more and Emma had to laugh. Either all of his pirate innuendo was buried pretty deep or he was genuinely shocked that she wanted to be with him, which only made her want him that much more. She crawled into bed, keeping her eyes on his as she bypassed her normal side and straddled his lap, letting her knees fall on either side of his thighs.

“Emma,” Killian said again, his voice gruff. He wrapped his arm around her waist and when his wrist brushed against the bare skin of her lower back, Emma inhaled sharply and shifted closer, resting her palms on his chest. “Are you sure this is what you want?” he asked.

She brushed her thumb across his heart and leaned into him, pressing a kiss to his lips. “I want you,” Emma told him matter-of-factly. “If you’re not interested, I suppose we could just go to sleep, but…” He cut her off abruptly when he crushed his mouth to hers. Emma grinned against his lips and then she kissed him back just as hungrily. His hand slipped into her hair and he tugged on it to change the angle of the kiss, his tongue sweeping into her mouth to caress hers.

Killian shifted beneath her and Emma groaned into his mouth when she felt the length of his arousal press against her center through the thin barrier of clothing between them. She rocked her hips, trying to create the friction she desperately needed, but he moved swiftly, toppling her from his lap so she landed flat on her back across the bed. Killian hovered over her, his blue eyes dark with lust and want and when she swallowed hard, a familiar slow smirk crossed his face. Emma decided she’d been wrong earlier and the pirate was definitely still in there.

“What’s the rush, love?” He slipped his knee between her thighs and Emma shamelessly rubbed herself against him as the ache inside of her grew more unbearable by the second. Killian simply chuckled and ran his tongue along his bottom lip like he had all the time in the world even though she could feel just how turned on he was. She reached out, attempting to run her hand over him, but Killian caught her wrist and shook his head. “Not yet.”

Emma made a frustrated noise and glared at him, but Killian ignored her as he leaned down and trailed his mouth over her neck. “Be patient.” He skimmed his hand down her side, leaving goose bumps on her skin in its wake as he continued tracing her skin with his mouth, pressing kisses to her neck and down to her collarbone. Emma slid her fingers into his hair and tried to push his head lower. He mumbled something against her skin, but gave her what she wanted a moment later when he ran his tongue along the curve of her breast and she couldn’t stop the moan that tore from her throat.

She felt him smile against her skin and she shifted restlessly beneath him, pushing her hips into his as he used his teeth to tug down the cup of her bra. Emma gasped when she felt his tongue on her pebbled nipple as he brought his hand to her unattended breast, stroking her through the lacy bra. She closed her eyes and basked in the sensations, her fingers still twisting in his hair to keep his head in place. It had been way too long since anyone had touched her this way. Emma lifted her body slightly off the bed and reached behind her to unclasp her bra.

Killian took the hint and pulled back so she could toss the garment completely out of their way. Emma fell back against the mattress and his eyes raked over her, growing even darker as he stared. “Gods, Emma, you’re so beautiful.” He kissed her again with just as much passion as before, but this time the kiss seemed different like he was pouring the reverence he felt for her into it and her chest tightened, a small corner of her mind shouting that it was too much, but Emma ignored it. She didn’t want to run from this or from him.

The kiss broke, both of them panting for air as Killian turned his attention to her breasts once more. He proceeded to worship her with his lips, his tongue and even his teeth, alternating between gentle touches and just the hint of pain that he’d immediately soothe with his tongue. Emma cried out beneath him, the ache in her lower belly getting more desperate by the second. She tugged on his hair, forcing his head away from her chest. “Killian, please, I need you.”

He looked like he was going to protest so Emma wrapped her leg around his waist and brought his body closer to hers, lifting her hips off the bed and pressing into his arousal. He let out a strangled noise and Emma tugged on his hair again, pulling him closer until her mouth was on his. She kissed him hard, nipping at his lips until he opened his mouth for her and she stroked her tongue over his. Emma trailed her other hand down his chest and stomach and slipped it beneath the waistband of his boxers until she could wrap her fingers around his cock. He moaned as she stroked her hand over his length, enjoying the feeling of him pulsing beneath her touch. “Tease,” he whispered against her lips.

Emma laughed. “Maybe you should quit being so stubborn and take off your damn clothes,” she suggested as she stroked him again, tightening her fingers around his shaft as he sucked in a sharp breath. His eyes were stormy with desire when they met hers and that tightly coiled spring inside of her had her hips lifting off the bed on their own accord, chasing after release.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” Killian muttered. But instead of doing what she asked, he slid his hand down her body until he cupped her center in his palm, a gasp falling from her lips as he pushed the lacy fabric aside and slid his fingers inside of her. “Bloody hell, you’re so wet.” Emma gasped and lifted her hips again, trying to fuck herself on his fingers, but he continued to tease her, not quite going deep enough to give her what she needed. “Tease,” she hissed.

“On the contrary, darling,” Killian replied and he finally gave her what she wanted as he began to stroke her, curling his fingers inside of her and hitting the spot that made her see stars. Emma threw her head back against the mattress and moved with him, the pressure building inside of her ready to combust and then suddenly his mouth was on her and she cried out, his name tearing from her throat somewhere between a scream and a sob. He swiped his tongue across her clit and then sank his teeth into the bundle of nerves and she came undone beneath him, writhing and gasping his name as her body soared from the pleasure he gave her.

She kept her eyes squeezed shut, her heart trying to jump out of her chest as she panted for breath. Killian pressed a kiss to her inner thigh and she reached for him blindly, her hand tangling in his hair once more. “Killian, please,” Emma whispered. She attempted to use her foot to push his boxers down and he laughed, muttering about her impatience as he shifted and rid himself of the final barrier of clothes.

Emma did the same, pushing down her panties in a swift movement and kicking them off as her eyes wandered over him. Technically, she’d seen him naked that first day, but she really had tried not to look and now there was nothing stopping her from staring. Of course he was ridiculously beautiful, lean and muscled with three-hundred years of scars marring his skin, some darker and larger than others. She wanted to explore every inch of him, but first, she wanted to feel him moving inside of her.

“Don’t make me beg.” Emma held out her hand to him and he took it in his, shifting so his body hovered over hers once again. Keeping his weight on his knees, Killian lowered himself between her legs, his cock bumping against her entrance and pulling a mewling noise from her throat that she’d probably be embarrassed about later. His eyes met hers and Emma could see a hint of uncertainty beneath the lust. “What’s wrong?”

“Emma…” Killian sank his teeth into his bottom lip and Emma frowned when she saw worry crease his forehead. She reached out and brushed her fingers over his cheek, trying to ease whatever troubled him. “Emma, when this curse is broken…”

“ _If_ this curse is broken,” Emma corrected him, not sure why he was worried about that at the moment.

“ _When_ this curse is broken,” Killian repeated, giving her a look that clearly said he knew she’d find a way to fix this, “Will we still remember everything that happened in this version of our lives?”

The question stunned her because she could see that he was afraid and Emma wondered how she could have missed it. They’d had so many conversations about the curse and what their lives had been like before, but she’d had no idea this question bothered him. “Yes, you’ll remember. You’ll have both sets of memories, which I know isn’t easy for anyone, but everything that’s happening now is real. _Especially_ this,” Emma stressed.

Killian smiled and then he leaned down and kissed her, drawing it out slowly as Emma slid her hand around the back of his neck, her fingertips teasing the ends of his hair. He deepened the kiss and she moaned into his mouth when she tasted herself on his tongue. She lifted her hips and he took the hint, breaking the kiss and sliding inside of her in a smooth motion. Emma gasped at the sudden fullness that she felt and she could see the strain on his face as he held still, giving her a moment to adjust. She lifted her hips experimentally and he began to thrust, keeping his strokes slow and shallow until she got used to the feel of him inside of her.

It took another minute to find the right rhythm, both of them laughing at the momentary awkwardness before his movements became surer. Emma met him thrust for thrust, both of them groaning at the feeling of his cock sliding against her slick walls. Her body was still tingling from the first orgasm he’d given her and she could already feel another one building. She definitely couldn’t recall the last time that had happened. The thought flew out of her mind when he changed the angle of his thrust and hit that sweet spot inside of her, pulling a long moan from her throat.

Emma wrapped her legs around his back, causing him to slide deeper, filling her to the hilt as he brought his hand down to where they were joined, his thumb stroking her clit as his mouth trailed over her breasts. She ran her hands over his back and then down his chest, both of their bodies slick with sweat as they moved together. He lifted his head from her breast, his eyes meeting hers as he pinched her clit between his fingers and slammed his hips against her, sending her over the edge once more.

He kept moving inside of her, drawing out her orgasm as Emma dug her nails into his back, basking in the pleasure that coursed through her. He thrust into her again, her name falling from his lips as his hips jerked erratically against hers. Emma tightened her arms and legs around him and held him as he let himself go, his body stilling over her before a shudder went down his spine. Panting, he dropped his head to her neck, muttering against her skin. Emma stroked a soothing hand over his back, the room filled with their harsh breathing as she waited for her heart to stop racing.

It took a few minutes for Killian to recover his senses and once he did, he shifted off of her, collapsing on his back beside her and immediately reaching out to her. Emma went willingly into his arms, curling up against him and resting her head against his heartbeat. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and she closed her eyes, enjoying the quiet moment after what had definitely been the best sex of her life. She knew she would probably spend a lot of time analyzing that along with the fact that cuddling seemed like an excellent idea, which was not her usual forte at all.

Emma lifted her head and was not surprised to find Killian watching her. She couldn’t help smiling at him and he grinned back before pressing a lingering kiss to her lips. She shifted, sliding one of her legs between his as she draped her body over his. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything you’d like, love.”

Her cheeks flushed and Emma couldn’t believe what she was about to ask, but her curiosity got the better of her. “How did that measure up to what you remember from before I told you we were cursed?”

Killian barked out a laugh and Emma felt herself turning even redder. He leaned in for another kiss before he answered. “Reality is much more rewarding than fiction.” He ran his tongue over his teeth and gave her a knowing look. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Emma rolled her eyes and buried her face in his chest again. He laughed even harder, but when he tightened his arms around her and let out a content sigh, Emma found that she didn’t really mind.

(~)(~)(~)

A loud buzzing noise startled Emma, pulling her out of a pleasant haze of sleep. She felt Killian stir beside her, but he simply tightened his arm around her waist and buried his face in her hair, mumbling incoherently in his sleep. She couldn’t help smiling even as she forced her eyes open to investigate the source of the buzzing. Her cell phone danced across the nightstand and Emma frowned, wondering who the hell was calling so early on a Saturday morning.

She reached out and grabbed the phone, groaning when she saw Regina’s name on the screen. For a brief second, Emma considered ignoring it, but then her rational mind remembered that Henry was camping with Neal and Robin and suddenly she was wide awake as she pressed the answer button and tried to sit up, jarring Killian in the process. “Hello?”

“We need to talk,” Regina replied, not bothering with any small talk or pleasantries. “I’ve been thinking about what you said to Mary Margaret last night. I need you to tell me _exactly_ what happened when you drove over the town line.”

“What?” Emma shifted, still struggling to sit up, but her legs were entwined with Killian’s and her muscles ached in the most delicious way – something she would be basking in if Regina wasn’t on the other end of the phone barking orders at her. She managed to untangle herself as Killian opened one eye and sent her a questioning look. She shrugged. “It’s Regina,” she told him. “Regina, I already told you what happened when we left or tried to leave.”

Regina let out an exasperated sigh and Emma had no trouble imagining the scowl on her face. “After you and Henry got in the car, did you talk? Did you say or do anything other than drive away? Think carefully.”

Emma frowned, not sure why Regina suddenly needed to know this information at the crack of dawn. Killian placed his hand on her leg and she met his gaze, some of the tension instantly leaving her body when she did. Emma placed her free hand over his. “No, we didn’t talk. Henry was watching you over his shoulder and I was watching in the mirror. I saw the magic coming and then we drove over the line and that’s it. I woke up here the next day.”

“Last night, you told your mother that you wished for everyone to have the happy ending they deserved. When did you do that?” Regina asked.

“I didn’t. Not out loud anyway,” Emma replied. She frowned as she thought back to that day, the pain instantly making her chest tight as she recalled how terrible she’d felt about losing everyone. “I was thinking about how unfair it was and how we should be able to be together and I wished everything was different and we could have the happy endings we were supposed to,” she explained.

Regina was silent on the other end of the phone and Emma could see that Killian looked every bit as confused as she was. She opened her mouth to ask Regina what her point was, but the mayor spoke before she had a chance.

“Emma, _you_ did this.” Regina’s voice came through much calmer and Emma could almost hear a hint of awe in her tone, which made it even harder to grasp her words.

“Regina, you’re not making any sense. What did I do?” She still had no idea why Regina had called her or why she suddenly wanted to know what had been going through her head as she drove away from everyone she loved.

“You created this reality,” Regina said and Emma’s mouth dropped open. She immediately wanted to remind her that wasn’t possible, but Regina kept talking. “Your magic gave everyone happy endings because you wished for it, _Savior_.”

 

 

       


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this took forever, but it's an important chapter and I wanted to get it right. Thank you all for your patience and your kind words and support of this fic. You make me really happy.

_“Your magic gave everyone happy endings because you wished for it, Savior.”_

A long moment of heavy silence followed Regina’s declaration as Emma tried to wrap her mind around the concept that _she_ was the one responsible for creating this reality. How would that even work? Could she really cast a spell this huge without even trying? It sounded impossible and no matter how many times she replayed Regina’s words in her head, Emma couldn’t make sense of the idea that she’d done this without even knowing it.

“That’s…that’s not possible.” Emma finally managed to stammer out a response and despite her protest, she heard more than a hint of panic in her voice. Killian heard it too because he shifted beside her, sitting up as well and closing the small amount of distance between them. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him though – not with the sudden weight of panic crushing her chest. She didn’t cast this curse. She wouldn’t even know how to cast a curse, let alone one this big. _Not possible_ , her mind echoed.

Regina sighed loudly. “I’m afraid it’s a lot more than possible, Miss Swan. I’m coming over. I’ll see you in twenty minutes.” The line went dead and Emma dropped her phone onto the bed. She let out a shaky breath and finally turned her head to meet Killian’s gaze. She saw the concern mixed with questions in his eyes and suddenly the familiar urge to run – _far and fast_ – reared its ugly head. Running away seemed like a much better option than actually sharing Regina’s ridiculous theory with him. _Not possible, not possible…_

“You’ve gone white.” Killian gently pulled his hand out from under hers and lifted it to her cheek, brushing his thumb across the dimple in her chin. “What did Regina say to you?” he asked.

Emma swallowed hard and fought back against her automatic flight instincts. “She thinks I did _this_.” She gestured wildly toward the window and Killian’s brow furrowed in confusion. He opened his mouth, but she shook her head and kept going, the words tumbling out of her mouth in rapid succession. “The curse, spell, wish, whatever the hell brought us here and took everyone’s memories. She thinks _I_ did it with my magic because I wanted everyone to get their happy endings. Do you know how insane that sounds? I didn’t do this.”

Her chest rose and fell much too fast as the words poured out of her and Emma forced herself to take a deep breath before she lost it completely. She could hear the defensiveness in her voice and she hated it. There was no reason to get worked up because she hadn’t done anything. _She hadn’t_.

So why did she suddenly feel like she was on the verge of suffocating? Killian continued to stroke her chin and Emma took comfort in the gesture, doing her best to relax and ease the tension that had crept into her shoulders and shot down her spine. She watched him watching her and the tightness in her chest turned to guilt at the growing concern in his eyes. He probably thought she’d lost her mind and maybe she had. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, love,” Killian replied. He gave her a genuine smile and Emma managed a small one in return, the need to run away growing smaller and smaller inside of her. Killian had been by her side all this time and she knew he’d want to be there for her through this. She _wanted_ him to be there. He always had faith in her and he’d help her make sense of this insanity.

Killian watched her quietly and Emma could tell he was giving her time to calm down. She took another deep breath and that seemed to be enough for him. “I’m afraid I don’t possess any memories of magic in this life.” She recognized the brief smile he flashed as his self-deprecating one, but she didn’t have time to reassure him before he spoke again. “When you described your experience with magic, you said you were not always in control of it.”

Emma nodded. They’d talked about it briefly when he’d asked her questions about their old life, but she hadn’t elaborated much since she didn’t really understand her magic – another reason this was impossible. “It’s inside of me and I’ve used it in desperate situations, but I don’t know how it works. I’ve never understood it and other than some brief lessons with Regina and a few spells Gold taught me to protect him, no one has ever showed me how to control it. There’s no way I could do something this huge by accident.”

The unexpected confidence in her voice helped ease more of the tension Emma felt. Everything she’d just told Killian proved Regina’s theory false and Emma would make her see that once she got there. Then they could put this silly notion behind them and figure out who’d really cast the curse. “Regina’s on her way.” Emma glanced at the clock and sighed, not really looking forward to the visit. “I need to take a shower.”

She slipped out of bed and when the cool air hit her bare skin, Emma’s cheeks flushed and she glanced back at Killian over her shoulder. She’d gotten swept up in her problems and let the incredible night they’d shared slip from her mind. Killian sat back against the headboard, the blanket she’d left him with low on his hips. His hair was rumpled, his eyes were hooded as they roamed over her bare skin and the urge to crawl right back into bed nearly overwhelmed her. As if reading her mind, a knowing smirk crossed his face and Emma felt her face growing even hotter.

“Not to worry, love,” Killian said. He ran his tongue over his teeth and Emma’s knees instantly felt less steady. “There will be plenty of other mornings for us to lounge in bed without interruptions.” She didn’t miss the way the confidence in his voice faltered on the last part, almost like he was afraid to believe it. Emma’s chest tightened as she remembered his fear that everything they felt would be lost when the curse broke.

“You’re right,” she told him firmly, her eyes on his so he could see that she meant every word. “No matter what happens with Regina or with this,” she gestured to the window again, “There are going to be other mornings.”

He grinned at her and Emma struggled with the desire to get back into bed. But she knew Regina and wouldn’t put it past the woman to just let herself in and demand their attention. “I’m going to shower now.” She turned and rushed into the bathroom before she could change her mind. She heard Killian laughing as she practically slammed the door once she reached the safety of the bathroom.

(~)(~)(~)

True to her word, Regina arrived exactly twenty minutes after she’d ended their phone conversation. Emma ran her fingers through her wet hair as she crossed the apartment in the jeans and t-shirt she’d hastily pulled on while Killian had slipped into the shower, telling her to go ahead and start the conversation without him.  

Emma opened the door and Regina blew past her with a raised eyebrow at her disheveled appearance. She didn’t comment though, choosing instead to concentrate on unbuttoning the trench coat she wore. “Where’s your pirate?” Regina slipped off her jacket and carefully draped it across the back of a chair.

“In the shower,” Emma replied. She closed the door and turned to Regina, crossing her arms over her chest. “I didn’t do this. I wouldn’t even know where to start casting a curse, let alone one that affects an entire town. You know I don’t have control over my magic.”

Regina rolled her eyes and took a seat at the kitchen table, folding her hands in front of her. “You didn’t cast the curse. _Pan_ cast the curse and then I used my magic to override it. _Your_ magic granted your wish to give everyone happy endings. That’s why we’re here. That’s why you and I are the only ones who remember the truth because we cast the spells.”

That threw a curveball straight into Emma’s resolve. Regina and Gold had both played roles in the original curse and they’d kept their memories. If her wish had created this reality, it made sense for her to retain her memories. But she still couldn’t believe she had played a role in this.

“It’s just not possible.” Emma reluctantly dropped into the chair across from Regina to keep herself from pacing the room. “I’m not powerful enough to do something like that and how would it even work? I can’t just wish for things with my thoughts and make them happen.” She knew magic would never be that simple.

“Except you are that powerful,” Regina replied and Emma heard something that might be awe in the other woman’s voice, but then it disappeared and Regina’s frank tone returned. “You’re the product of True Love. Your magic is as strong as it gets and just because you don’t know how to tap into your potential doesn’t make it stop existing. Your power is raw.”

Emma’s jaw twitched and she fought the urge to scream. Regina clearly had no interest in seeing reason. “I didn’t use my magic!” The defensiveness came through loud and clear in her voice, but Emma didn’t care. “It never crossed my mind that I could use my magic. I didn’t even say the wish out loud,” she reiterated.

Regina rolled her eyes and flicked her wrist, creating a fireball in her palm. “Magic isn’t about words. It’s about what you feel and what you’re willing to do with those feelings.” She flicked her wrist again and the fire disappeared. You said you were thinking about everyone’s happy endings as you drove away.”

“Yes,” Emma confirmed. She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. Talking about magic had never been easy for her, but this felt like an inquisition even though she knew Regina was just trying to make sense of everything. “Henry always told me that I had to bring back the happy endings and I felt bad that I’d failed everyone. But I don’t think this is the happy endings everyone had in mind.”

“Are you certain, Miss Swan?” Regina asked. “Everyone seems pretty happy here, including you. It’s more appealing than the alternative where we’re all back in the Enchanted Forest and you’re with Henry and neither of you remember the rest of us.” She scowled.

Emma’s chest tightened. Even now, the mere thought of being separated from everyone hurt. “I never wanted that. None of us did. We only agreed to your idea because we were desperate and I needed to protect Henry.” If they’d wasted time, he might have ended up alone and she never would have forgiven herself for that.

“No,” Regina said quietly. She folded and unfolded her hands in front of her and Emma knew she was thinking about Henry and what could have happened as well. Regina found her composure and met Emma’s gaze across the table. “Thanks to you, it never became a reality. _This_ did. Storybrooke is a town filled with happy families and friends and no memories of evil or past misdeeds or pain and suffering.”

It sounded almost perfect when she put it like that and for a moment, Emma finally allowed herself to consider the possibility that maybe Regina had a point. She hadn’t willingly used her magic when she’d kissed Henry and broke the first curse or when she’d stepped in front of her mother to protect her from Cora. Maybe her wish had somehow interfered with Regina’s spell and triggered this reality. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, Emma shoved it away.

“What about Gold?” she challenged. Her voice had taken on a desperate edge once more, but Emma didn’t care. “Even if I could believe that I accidentally gave everyone new lives, how did I bring him back from the dead?” Emma hadn’t even known it was possible to bring people back from the dead and she assumed there had to be major consequences.

“I don’t know,” Regina admitted. She leaned back in her chair and absently tapped her nails against the table. “It’s possible he was never actually dead and just disappeared to somewhere in between worlds and the magic brought him back. I can’t figure that one out and since Gold is showing no signs of being Rumple, there’s no one to ask.”

Emma recognized the annoyance in the other woman’s voice, but she wasn’t in the mood to tread lightly. “Are you listening to yourself? That doesn’t make any sense. People don’t just come back from the dead and I don’t have magic wishes. If I did, we wouldn’t be here because I’ve wished for answers a thousand times since I woke up that morning.”

Regina’s eyes narrowed. “How much proof do you need? Pan cast a curse to take away our memories. I counteracted it by destroying my original curse. Someone else stepped in and turned the combined magic into this world where everyone is happy. Like it or not, Savior, somewhere inside of you was the desire for this life.”

Her gaze lifted to something over Emma’s shoulder and Emma didn’t have to turn around to know Killian had walked into the room. She could feel the tension building between her shoulders once more and as much as she hated to admit it, Emma couldn’t deny that Regina had a point. She’d wanted everyone to have their happy endings and people were happy in this reality, but there were still major issues.

“What about my parents?” Killian wordlessly slid into the seat beside her and Emma felt some of her tension slipping away again when he draped his arm across the back of her chair. She automatically leaned into his touch. “How is my happy ending a life where my parents don’t know who I am?” she asked.

Regina sighed and Emma saw the familiar annoyance flashing in her eyes like she couldn’t believe they were still debating this. “You’re an amateur. That’s why there are glaring errors like Robin’s lack of ID, but I think the memory losses are remnants of Pan’s curse. He wanted to make everyone forget and they did, but your wish gave everyone enough of their memories back to know who matters most to them, even if the relationships are not exactly what you’d expect.”

“But they do make sense in the context of this world,” Killian commented and both women’s eyes turned to him. “If David and Mary Margaret have no memories of the Enchanted Forest, they wouldn’t recall being frozen in time and it would be impossible for them to comprehend having a daughter who is their age so the magic made them your friends.”

“Finally someone sees reason,” Regina muttered. She turned back to Emma. “The details changed to fit the reality so the endings are not exactly what you might have wanted, but they’re close enough. If you’d actually taken the time to plan the curse, it would have turned out differently, but your magic runs on your emotions. This was a desperate act and frankly, we’re lucky it worked this well.”

Emma automatically rolled her eyes at the thinly veiled insult, but she was too busy considering everything to respond. Maybe her magic had done this – maybe she’d created this new reality in a desperate attempt to keep everyone together. Regina was right about it being better than the alternative, but that still didn’t make it real. She couldn’t sit back and let people live a lie for the rest of their lives…could she?

“Can it be undone?” Killian’s voice pulled her from her thoughts and Emma turned to him, wondering how the hell he always seemed to know exactly what she was thinking. _Open book_ , his voice responded in her head.

“All curses can be broken,” Regina confirmed. “I’m guessing there’s no failsafe in this one considering it occurred accidentally, but Emma is the Savior. She can find a way to break it.”

Emma frowned and tried to ignore the bitterness that churned inside of her at the automatic assumption that she had to be the one to fix everything. “Don’t be so sure. I’ve kissed Henry plenty of times since that first day and nothing has changed. He doesn’t remember anything about our old lives. And I told Killian the truth and he still only has a few random pieces of his past. Maybe I don’t have the power to break this curse.”

“Or maybe you’re looking at it wrong and this new life is more of a blessing than a curse,” Regina countered. Emma’s eyes widened and she felt Killian stiffen beside her as they both stared at Regina. If she was fazed by their reactions, she didn’t show it. “This might be our second chance for a good life.”

“Are you suggesting we just live this way and pretend magic didn’t play a role?” Killian asked. Emma couldn’t read his tone and she wondered if he was keeping it neutral for Regina’s benefit or if he would be okay with leaving things the way they were. She wouldn’t blame him if he felt that way. Things were good here. Maybe taking away everyone’s happiness would be selfish.

Regina shrugged. “We’ve lived through much worse. Parts of this life might be a lie, but we have the people who matter most to us. Are the incorrect details really worth giving all of this up for?” she asked.

Emma opened her mouth and immediately closed it. Her instincts wanted to shout that the truth was more important than living in a fantasy world, but she didn’t entirely believe that. They’d been through hell and back more times than she wanted to think about and now no one remembered that other than the two of them. Maybe this reality was a gift.

Before she had a chance to answer Regina’s question, the door opened and Henry burst into the room, covered in mud and grinning from ear to ear. “You guys, camping is awesome!” he declared as he shrugged off his giant backpack.

Henry stepped out of his shoes, leaving them and the bag in the middle of the floor and Emma tried not to laugh when Killian made a face. “Hi Aunt Regina,” Henry called before moving around the table to hug Emma. “I caught two fish! And Dad and Robin told ghost stories and Roland fell in the lake. And…”

“Whoa, slow down, kid,” Emma said. She gently pushed Henry back because as much as she loved him, he smelled like he’d spent the night in the woods. “Why don’t we talk about your trip after you shower and eat something that no one had to catch?” she suggested.

Henry groaned, but his smile didn’t fade as he walked toward the cabinet to grab a box of cereal. Regina’s eyes lingered on him for a moment and then she got to her feet. “I should be going. I imagine Robin and Roland are on their way home. It was nice to see you, Henry.” She picked up her coat from the chair and glanced back at Emma. “Think about what I said.”

“I will,” Emma replied. She doubted she’d be able to think about anything else. Emma walked Regina to the door, keeping a polite smile on her face for Henry’s sake. As soon as Regina left, she caught Killian’s gaze from across the room and he gave her a reassuring smile. She managed a small one of her own despite the heaviness in her heart.

(~)(~)(~)

Emma stared out at the water, focused on the gentle ripples that appeared whenever a slight disturbance occurred – a gust of wind, a seagull landing on a rock, a boat leaving the harbor. Each time the water grew calm once more, she tried to hang onto that and let the serenity wash over her and push away her thoughts or whatever the hell happened when a person meditated. Maybe that was why she couldn’t get it to work – she had no clue what to do. She snorted. That might as well be her life’s mantra.

The wind picked up and the water moved with it, lapping against the shore and sparkling in the sunlight. It looked so blue and inviting. Emma kept her focus on the details of the water and the beautiful picture it made and the sky and the sound of the birds and the ships and did her best to pretend nothing else mattered. But as desperately as she wanted to lose herself in the setting, her mind refused to cooperate.

Two weeks had passed since Regina declared this reality resulted from Emma’s wish. Sometimes she still didn’t want to believe it, but the evidence spoke for itself. She possessed powerful magic and her emotions tapped into it whether she wanted to use it or not. Then there was the indisputable fact that she had her memories. She couldn’t ignore that. And every time Emma accepted that she’d done this, her mind instantly questioned whether or not she needed to find a way to undo it. Unfortunately, the answer eluded her just as much now as it had that first morning.

She spent her time paying close attention to everyone – her family, her friends, citizens of Storybrooke that she didn’t know that well – and watched for any sign of unhappiness or hints that a villain lurked in the shadows, waiting to take advantage of the town. But there was nothing aside from the occasional argument or petty crime or problem that couldn’t be solved in a matter of hours. And Emma was grateful for that because everyone deserved a break after everything they’d been through over the years.

Her parents planned on getting married in two weeks. Mary Margaret spent most of her time freaking out about last minute details and David just grinned from ear to ear. Henry and Roland were excited about their roles in the ceremony and even Regina pitched in to help whenever a new wedding crisis arose. They’d had more family dinners and lunches and random planning sessions over coffee and even with the small problems, things remained perfect.

Emma didn’t want to take that away from them. But she also remembered the look on her mother’s face when they’d walked into her abandoned nursery in the Enchanted Forest. Her parents loved her so much and they’d missed out on their chance to raise her because of a curse. Could she really just stand back and let them live the rest of their lives without knowing the truth?

Footsteps against the wooden boardwalk pulled her from her thoughts and Emma didn’t have to glance over to know who it was. “I thought you might be here.” Killian sat down beside her, shifting sideways on the bench to face her instead of the water. “You can’t keep doing this to yourself.”

“This is my fault.” She didn’t question how he knew what she was doing – he always knew. Killian’s unwavering support was the one thing keeping her from completely losing her mind. He listened to her vent when she needed to and he did everything he could to help her forget the rest of the world when she felt things spinning out of control.

He’d been there every step of the way and more often than not, Emma didn’t think she deserved him. Emma continued to stare at the water to avoid seeing the concern she knew would be reflected in his eyes. “I created this world and I took away people’s memories. Accident or not, I did this and I don’t know how to undo it or even if I should. People are happy here.” What right did she have to take that away?

“But you’re not happy.”

Emma cringed. There was no judgment in his voice, only quiet understanding and that made her finally turn to face him. She saw the concern she’d been expecting in his eyes, but she knew him well enough to know he buried his pain beneath the surface. She definitely did not deserve him. “I am happy. I’m happy with you and with Henry and my parents. I know who they are, even if they don’t and maybe that’s enough.”

She’d spent her whole life alone and now she had a family – a happy one – did it really make a difference that her parents were her good friends instead of her parents? They were still in love and getting married and someday they’d probably have another child – who would never know Emma was actually his or her sister and not just a friend. But at least they’d have a chance to be parents without worrying about a curse destroying everything.

“Maybe living a lie isn’t bad if it’s for the right reasons?” The statement came out sounding like a question, but she didn’t pause for an answer. “Happiness is happiness, right? It would be selfish of me to find a way to undo all of this just because it’s not exactly what I want?” Again her words ended on a question and this time, Emma watched Killian, wanting to know what he thought.

“Perhaps,” Killian said. He moved closer to her and reached out to brush his knuckles across her cheek. She instantly leaned into his touch, needing the reassurance even as she waited for the other shoe to drop. “Or it’s entirely possible that not everyone is as happy in this world as you think. Regina, for instance,” he said.

Emma rolled her eyes. She appreciated his attempt to help her, but Regina had been the first one to suggest letting things stay like this. “Come on. She’s got Robin and Roland. No one remembers that she’s the evil queen who ruined all of their lives. How can you say she’s not happy here?” Regina had smiled more over the past month and a half than the entire time Emma had known her.

“Because I saw the expression on her face when Henry referenced her as ‘Aunt Regina’ and then raced to hug you without a second thought for her. There are cracks in her façade, Emma. While I understand the appeal of no longer being the villain, I imagine no longer being a child’s mother takes its toll,” Killian said.

That thought hadn’t crossed her mind before, but she knew he was right. Emma would be devastated if Henry had forgotten she was his mother. Her mind catalogued all the times Regina and Henry spent together in this reality and she realized Regina’s happiness did falter around him.

Killian’s thumb brushed over the dimple in her chin. “I might not remember Snow White and her prince, but I believe David and Mary Margaret would want to know the truth as well.”

“They would,” Emma agreed. “I could tell them, but what if they don’t believe me? Or what if they do and want to tell other people the truth? Even if they just told the dwarves and Granny and Ruby, the news would spread through the town and then what? We’re still cursed and no one trusts anyone.” She ran her hands over her face and fought the urge to scream into them.

She didn’t want to make the selfish choice, but maybe she already had by accidentally cursing them into this life. Emma wanted everyone to be happy, but she knew better than anyone how much it hurt when other people made decisions for her. Telling them would not be enough – she needed to give them back their memories, the good and the bad. “Killian…”

“You need to break the curse.” He smiled at her when a flash of surprise crossed her face. “The decision was inevitable, love, but it had to be yours and yours alone.”

Her heart turned over in her chest and she wondered how she’d gotten so lucky to have someone like him in her life. Killian understood her in a way that no one else ever had. She’d tried to ignore it for so long because it scared the hell out of her and it still did on some level, but now she knew that she didn’t want to move forward without him ever again. “Thank you, Killian.”

It was his turn to look surprised. “For what?” he asked. “I surely haven’t said anything you didn’t already know.”

“Everything,” Emma replied. The word sounded too simple and Emma wished was better at expressing what was in her heart. “I couldn’t have gotten this far without you. And I know going back to your old life isn’t something you want.” Killian didn’t always tell her about the memories that came back to him in his dreams, but she recognized the haunted look in his eyes that came with them.

Killian shrugged. “I’ll still be devilishly handsome. And my one and only mission will be to win your heart. Things won’t be that different.” His self-deprecating smile fell into place and Emma’s heart ached. “Although I imagine your father might not be so keen on our Tuesday evenings at the Rabbit Hole.”

“Don’t be so sure,” Emma replied. Things had changed between her father and Hook after Neverland. She had a feeling the friendship would have grown stronger over time no matter what realm they landed in. She also had a feeling that Killian made the comment about David to deflect from his declaration. Emma reached out and rested her palm over his heart. “And you’re going to have to find a new mission.”

She saw a flash of confusion cross his face and placed her finger over his lips before he had a chance to question her. “You’ve already won my heart.” Her cheeks flushed, but she kept her eyes on his, wanting him to see that she meant every word. “I think it’s been yours for a long time, but I was too scared to admit it.” His expression softened and Emma shifted closer to him, sliding her hand into his hair as she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

The contact created a jolt of energy and its pulse made both of their eyes fly open as the shockwaves ruffled their hair and rippled past them, spreading over the town. Stunned, Emma pulled back from the kiss and watched Killian’s eyes widen. His hand went to his lips and for a long moment, he just stared at her. Her heart bounced against the wall of her chest and she held her breath. “Swan?”

“Hook.” Emma couldn’t help smiling at him as relief replaced the shock and she wrapped her arms around him, holding on for dear life. After a brief pause, he did the same and she let herself relax into his embrace, ignoring the way her heart still seemed to be trying to fly right out of her chest.

“That was…”

“Yeah,” Emma confirmed, not giving him a chance to finish his thought. She pulled back just enough to meet his gaze and she felt her cheeks flushing once more when she saw the look on his face. He watched her with so much love and hope in his expression that it should probably scare her and maybe it did a little, but it was too late to go back and she wouldn’t if she could.

“The curse appears to be broken,” Killian commented. His voice sounded casual, but the grin on his face said otherwise. Emma opened her mouth, but he leaned in and kissed her again before she had a chance to say anything. She couldn’t stop the moan from leaving her throat and he took advantage, his tongue sweeping over hers. He threaded his fingers through her hair, tilting her head back and deepening the kiss, practically devouring her and making her feel it through every inch of her being.

When the kiss broke, Emma had to fight to catch her breath and she imagined she looked as wrecked as she felt. She waited for one of his smug remarks, but his attention had shifted to the jeans and simple dark blue button-down shirt he wore He eyed them with utter distaste. “Swan, we need to discuss this droll wardrobe you fashioned for me.”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Really?” she asked. “After everything that’s happened since we woke up here, you want to talk about your clothes?”

Killian raised an eyebrow and as soon as the slow smirk crossed his face, Emma knew she would regret teasing him. “Well, love, there are many more _intimately appealing_ moments we could focus on instead.” He leaned into her and the feel of his warm breath against her ear sent a shudder down her spine as he spoke.

“Yeah, maybe we should stick to the clothes,” Emma replied. She shoved him back to put some space between them. He shot her a knowing look and she tried and failed to bite back a smile, which only made him laugh. “Seriously, now is not the time. People are going to have questions.” Her expression sobered when she remembered the way everyone had reacted the first time a curse broke and their memories returned.

“Aye and you will find a way to answer them.” Killian stood up and held out his hand to her. Emma took it and let him pull her to her feet. She appreciated his confidence in her even if she didn’t particularly share it at the moment. But she knew she had to face the music sooner or later and help people sort things out.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Henry say goodbye to their friends and family and escape Storybrooke as Regina's magic defeats Pan's curse and sends everyone back to the Enchanted Forest. Or at least that was what was supposed to happen, but when Emma wakes up the next morning, she discovers that something went very wrong with the plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, guys - the end of the story. Thank you all so much for your support and kudos and comments and bookmarks. I loved writing this story and sharing it with you and I appreciate each and every one of you who took the time to read it. Thank you.

Emma figured it would be best to start with her parents – mostly because she wanted to see them and more importantly, because they wouldn’t yell at her for accidentally cursing them to forget their identities. But as they drove toward the loft, they passed several cars turning onto Main Street at rather high speeds. She glanced sideways at Killian and his arched eyebrow confirmed that they needed to make a detour.

She steered the bug into the line of cars and wasn’t surprised to see they all appeared to be heading for Town Hall. The parking lot already overflowed with cars and people and the latest arrivals seemed content to park haphazardly, some on the grass and some just left their cars in the street in their haste to join the crowd pushing inside the building. Emma swung her car into the fire lane and put it in park while Killian muttered under his breath about the code violations being broken.

“Bloody hell, Swan.” Killian stepped out of the car and closed the door, his eyes on her as she moved around the car to join him on the sidewalk. “Why do I retain this useless information about vehicle regulations?”

“It’s just how it works,” Emma replied as they followed the crowd of people toward the entrance. “You’re a deputy so you have to know the laws and make sure people follow them.” Now that she thought about it, he had written an awful lot of citations for traffic and other petty violations. He probably knew the town bylaws better than she and David did.

“The irony,” Killian muttered. Emma didn’t have a chance to respond because they’d reached the doorway and things were even more chaotic inside. People packed the corridor, everyone seemed to be talking at once or in some cases, shouting, as families sought each other out while others demanded answers. The mob of people gathered on Regina’s lawn when the first curse broke flashed through Emma’s mind and she tried to push her guilt aside to find the best way to start calming everyone down.

“Mom!”

Emma spun around and saw Henry hurrying through the crowd. She caught him as he rushed into her arms and held him tight. She’d assumed he’d still be in school, but a broken curse obviously trumped studying. “Are you okay, kid?”

“Yeah.” Henry pulled back from the hug and his eyes were wide with excitement. “We were cursed! I remember getting ready to leave town, but I also remember the new life where we’ve always been here!” He seemed a little too happy about being cursed, but Emma didn’t have time to process that can of worms before he asked the question she dreaded. “Do you know what happened?”

Emma swallowed hard, not sure where to begin. She owed her son – and everyone else – an explanation, but words failed her. How was she supposed to explain that she’d been so desperate to keep her family together that she’d tapped into her magic? And if that wasn’t complicated enough, she’d let them stay in this curse state for weeks because she liked seeing everyone happy? Not to mention _she_ liked being happy and that made it easier to ignore how selfish it felt.

A warm hand settled on her shoulder and Emma glanced back at Killian. He gave her a reassuring smile and she sent him a grateful look before turning to face Henry once more. “I do. I wasn’t cursed like everyone else.” She hesitated and Killian squeezed her shoulder. “I…I caused it.”

Henry’s eyes widened even more, shock replacing his earlier excitement. Her son just stared at her for a moment and Emma braced herself for his anger, but it never came. “Cool!” Henry grinned and hugged her again. “You saved us from being separated.”

Relief washed over her and Emma tightened her grip on Henry, while leaning back slightly into Killian, the need to be close to both of them overwhelming her. She doubted everyone else would be as understanding as they had been, but it wouldn’t matter. They’d help her get through it and she knew her parents would too. “At first, I didn’t realize I’d done anything. I’m still not sure how it worked.”

Henry pulled back and continued grinning at her. “You’re the savior,” he replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “But wait…” His grin faded, contemplation crossing his face. “How did the curse get broken?”

Emma felt her cheeks flush and found herself at a complete loss for words again. She glanced at Killian, expecting to see a familiar smirk on his face, but he simply gave her a sheepish look and awkwardly reached up to scratch behind his ear. She tried to think of a tactful way to explain what happened, but her mind remained stubbornly blank.

“True love’s kiss,” Henry guessed, drawing their attention back to him. Emma’s face grew even hotter, but she managed to nod, watching her son carefully for his reaction. Once again, he seemed unfazed. “Cool,” he said. “So Killian wasn’t cursed either?” Henry glanced at the man in question. “Can I still call you Killian or Captain Hook? Where is your hook?”

“Aye, Killian is fine, lad. As for the hook it’s back at the apartment.”

Emma could tell he was amused by Henry’s enthusiasm and she also recognized the hint of relief that passed over his face when Henry seemed to automatically accept their newfound status, which she knew they still needed to discuss, but now was not the time. The crowd around them didn’t seem to be getting any less impatient and there was a loud mixture of voices coming from the meeting room that did not sound pleasant. “It’s a long story, kid, but we need to see what’s going on in there.”

Henry’s expression sobered. “My mom is in there.” More shouting came from the meeting room and Henry sent Emma a desperate look. “They’re going to blame her for this even though she didn’t do it.”

“We’d better go set them straight,” Emma replied. She put her hand on Henry’s shoulder and steered him toward the meeting room, knowing Killian would follow. The crowd seemed willing to part for them and Emma immediately spotted Regina standing in front of the packed room, an unhappy look on her face. Robin stood to her left, Roland’s hand tucked in his and her parents stood in front of them, trying to get control of the crowd as various townspeople shouted accusations at them.

 _Here goes nothing_. “Hey!” Emma shouted. A few people glanced in her direction, including her parents, but most of them kept yelling. “Hey!” she shouted again, louder this time. “Regina didn’t do this.”

That got everyone’s attention and for a moment, silence washed over the room and Emma felt each and every person’s eyes on her. Killian placed his hand on her lower back and she took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as people started to mumble to each other once more. She knew she had to start talking before she lost what little control she had over the room. “Regina didn’t do this,” she said again. “It was me.”

Another buzz went through the crowd and then suddenly everyone was talking at once. Emma saw her parents exchange confused glances before their eyes were back on her, identical shocked expressions on their faces. Questions seemed to be coming from every direction and Emma doubted she’d be able to get everyone to stop talking again. She turned to Killian. “Any suggestions?”

“Perhaps we could make a hasty exit and return to the apartment.” Emma glared at him and Killian simply smirked and then he ran his tongue along his bottom lip and her mind instantly went somewhere incredibly inappropriate. “Not helping,” she muttered. He opened his mouth, but then the ground shook beneath their feet and everyone struggled to remain upright.

The shaking stopped and Regina cleared her throat. “Miss Swan, I believe the floor is yours now.” She stepped to the side and knelt down to whisper something to Roland. He nodded enthusiastically and gave her a big dimpled smile. Regina smiled as well and straightened up as Robin lifted the boy into his arms.

Emma waited for everyone to start talking again, but Regina’s earthquake stunt seemed to have done the trick. “After Pan cast his curse and Regina did what she had to do to undo it, I didn’t want to leave everyone, but I couldn’t risk Henry being alone.” Henry gave her an encouraging smile and she squeezed his shoulder. “As we drove over the town line, I wished that everyone could have the happy endings they were supposed to and somehow my magic kicked in and created this new reality.”

A few murmurs went through the room, but most of the people were silent so she continued, wanting to get everything out as quickly as possible. “I woke up in Storybrooke the next day and I didn’t really know why things were different.” She left out all of the personal details, but explained running into various people with new memories. “I went to see Regina and she had her memories too, but neither of us knew why. We wanted to figure out who’d done this before we started telling people the truth.”

Emma explained that they talked to everyone they knew of who had magic and she pointed out that everyone in town seemed happy and there were no new villains or major crime sprees to worry about and aside from a few more murmurs, the room stayed silent. Emma turned to look at her mother. “I had a conversation with Mary Margaret and I tried to explain about the happy endings.” She watched as recognition dawned on her mother’s face. “It didn’t make sense to her, but Regina heard me and pieced together what I’d done.”

She paused there and this time, the room erupted. Questions were once again shouted from every direction and Emma heard several people asking why. She wished she knew how to answer that. She tried to get everyone to stop talking again, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. “This is going well,” she muttered, but only Killian and Henry were close enough to hear her with all the shouting around them.

“Everyone stop talking!” David’s voice bellowed through the room. He stood with his hands on his hips and looked around, the expression on his face commanding everyone’s attention until the room fell silent once more. “Thank you,” he said in his normal voice. “This isn’t like before. Emma wanted us all to stay together and that’s what we wanted to, isn’t it?” His eyes searched the room as he waited for someone to contradict him, but no one did.

“The curse is broken and we all have our memories back,” David continued. “Some of us have three sets of them now and that’ll take some adjustment, but we’ve faced far worse than this and came out stronger. We’re home and we all have our loved ones. That’s what matters,” he stressed.

People started to talk again, but Emma noticed the conversations sounded far less angry this time. She sent a grateful smile in her father’s direction and he nodded and gave her a brief smile before he addressed the room. “Everyone needs to go back to work or home or go have a meal at Granny’s.” He caught her gaze in the crowd and she raised an eyebrow, but then nodded. “Let’s just take some time to process everything and then go from there.”

Granny got up from her seat, followed by Ruby and headed for the door. Leroy and the dwarves followed along with Archie and Marco and slowly, people began to clear the room. Emma let out a relieved sigh and went to hug her father while Mary Margaret pulled Henry into her arms. “Thank you,” she whispered to David.

“You’re welcome,” David replied. He hugged her tight, his hand cradling the back of her head. He pulled back and Emma turned and hugged her mother. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I thought about it every day.”

Mary Margaret hugged her tighter. “You have nothing to apologize for. You kept us together.” She pulled back from the hug and beamed at her daughter. “Henry was right. You brought back the happy endings again. You saved us.”

“I also cursed everyone,” Emma replied. She appreciated that her parents were on her side, but she still felt guilty for keeping the truth a secret for so long. “I didn’t know if I should break the curse or not because everyone seemed happy with their new lives. But I missed you guys.” Her voice cracked a little and she felt tears welling in her eyes.

“Oh, Emma,” Mary Margaret whispered. She pulled her into another hug and then David wrapped his arms around both of them. “We’re not upset with you. We might not have known you were our daughter in this life, but that didn’t stop us from loving you. Nothing ever could.”

Emma took comfort in that and pushed aside the little voice in her head telling her that she was an adult and shouldn’t be crying in her parents’ arms. She didn’t care about appearances or the stupid walls she usually kept around her heart. She loved her parents and she wanted them to know that. “I love you too, Mom. Dad,” she added as she turned her head to give her father a watery smile.

David’s eyes glistened with tears as well and both of her parents hugged her tighter. Emma stayed in their embrace for another long moment and then Regina loudly cleared her throat. Emma pulled back and quickly wiped her eyes, turning in Regina’s direction to where the other woman stood with her arm around Henry. “I can guess how you broke the curse.” Her gaze drifted pointedly to Killian and then returned to Emma. “But what made you decide to do it?”

Mary Margaret and David both turned to Killian as if suddenly remembering he was there and Emma immediately saw the tension seep into him. His hand automatically went to his belt and he pushed his shoulders back as if expecting a fight. Emma recognized it as his defiant pirate stance and she knew he was worried about how her parents would treat him now. She held out her hand and Killian closed the distance between him and the group and took it, lacing their fingers together.

“It was the only choice,” Emma told Regina. “I never meant to take away everyone’s memories and I needed to fix what I broke. Life’s about the moments, right?” She smiled at her father. “Everyone deserves to remember the good and the bad because that’s what makes us who we are.”

Regina rolled her eyes, but Emma could tell she wasn’t angry. She briefly wondered what she’d told Robin when the curse had been lifted, but Emma doubted the other woman would confide in her any time soon. “So you made the decision and then you two broke the curse?”

Emma nodded and felt the color seeping back into her cheeks. She didn’t particularly want to explain that they hadn’t set out to break the curse and it had just happened after she’d admitted what was in her heart. That was between her and Killian. She assumed everyone else could just put the rest of the pieces together and she hoped they wouldn’t ask any more questions, but she doubted they were that lucky.

“Wait,” David said. Emma felt Killian tense beside her when David’s gaze landed on him and she squeezed his hand as they waited for her father’s question. “If you were able to use True Love’s Kiss, does that mean Killian – Hook – _you_ weren’t under the curse either?” he asked.

Killian shook his head. “No, I was cursed too, mate.” He paused and glanced at Emma. She saw the question in his eyes and knew he wasn’t sure how much she wanted him to say. “I told him the truth the first night,” she explained.

Her parents and Henry all seemed surprised by the revelation and Emma kept talking before any of them had a chance to say anything. “I needed to tell someone. Killian didn’t get his memories back until the curse broke, but he believed me when I told him this world was a lie. He’s been helping Regina and me try to figure things out ever since.”

“That’s why you started acting distant,” David mused. “Both of you,” he added, glancing at Emma. “We knew something was wrong, but we weren’t sure what it was. Mary Margaret was convinced it was because she talked about the wedding too much.”

“You did,” Regina muttered. Mary Margaret shot her a disapproving look and then turned back to Emma and Killian. “I’m just happy that things worked out and that Emma wasn’t alone. Now maybe we should take our own advice and get out of here? Dinner at Granny’s?” she suggested. “Regina, Robin, you’ll join us.” Without waiting for an answer, she slipped her hand into David’s and tugged her husband toward the door.

Regina rolled her eyes again and muttered something that only Robin could hear. Amused, he just shook his head and shifted Roland so he could wrap an arm around Regina. Henry trailed after them and Emma glanced at Killian. “How weird do you think this is going to be?” she asked.

“It’s Storybrooke, darling,” Killian replied cheerfully. “We’ll consider ourselves fortunate if the she-wolf manages to take orders before the loud dwarf begins to shout about something or other.” Emma groaned and elbowed him in the ribs, but he continued to grin as they walked toward the doors.

There were still people milling in the corridor, but the crowd had thinned considerably. Emma mentally thanked David for taking charge and then she spotted Neal standing near the doorway, hands in his pockets. He greeted them with a nod and a clearly forced smile. Familiar awkwardness churned in her stomach and Emma remembered how easy things had been between them in the other reality. She glanced at Killian and his eyes searched hers for a moment.

“I’ll wait by the car.” He squeezed her hand and sent a brief nod in Neal’s direction, glancing back at Emma one last time before he disappeared through the doors. Emma appreciated his discretion, but part of her wished he’d stayed. She pushed it aside and moved closer to Neal. “Hey,” she said.

“Hey back,” Neal replied. He shifted against the wall and Emma could see that he was just as uncomfortable as she was. “So what’s new besides you accidentally cursing an entire town?”

Emma laughed. “Not too much, actually,” she replied as something else occurred to her. “Have you talked to your dad since the curse ended? Regina never did figure out how he managed to come back.”

“He doesn’t know either. Or he does, but he doesn’t want to share with Belle and me. They’re at the shop now.” Neal shrugged and Emma wished she knew the right thing to say, but she didn’t even know where to start. “Look Emma, I get it. I have all the new memories and us being friends was a good thing, right?”

She could tell from his tone that he was trying to convince himself more than her and Emma felt guilty, but her resolve wasn’t going to change. “It is a good thing and I know it’s going to take time to get used to, but we need to for Henry’s sake. He needs both of us and Regina.”

Neal nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I just want you to be happy. And it means a lot that you want me to be part of Henry’s life. I should go see what my dad is up to. Take care, Emma.” He started to walk away and then changed his mind. “Oh and tell Killian that curse or no curse, I’m going to hold him to that rematch.” Neal lifted his hand to wave and then made his way outside.

Emma smiled and some of the heaviness lifted itself from her chest. It would take time, but if they’d made things work in one life, they could do it in this one too. She slipped out the door and walked down the street to where Killian leaned against the bug. “Neal says he still wants that rematch.”

Killian raised an eyebrow. “Aye, we shall have it then. Although it would be the first match since the other did not actually occur. And the rest?” he asked.

“It’ll take some time,” Emma replied. She slid into the car and waited for him to do the same before she started the engine. “So are you ready for a family dinner with everyone’s memories intact?”

He sent her a wary look. “It’s not too late to return home instead, Swan.” Killian frowned and shifted in his seat to face her. “Do we still get to keep the dwelling now that the curse is broken?”

“I created it so we’d better,” Emma replied. She hadn’t really thought about it, but as far as she knew, everything in the apartment belonged to them just like everyone else had kept their homes and cars after the first curse broke. “But we still have to go to Granny’s now.” She pulled the car out of the fire lane and made a quick U-turn to head in the opposite direction.

(~)(~)(~)

Emma pressed a kiss to Henry’s forehead and watched her son fight a losing battle with sleep. His eyes drifted closed and she quietly walked to the door, pulling it shut behind her. After several hours at the diner and many, many conversations with various townspeople, everyone had agreed to call it a night. It had been exhausting and so she was so happy to be home. Emma headed down the hall to the master bedroom and found Killian standing at the window.

He’d stripped down to his boxers and she took a moment to appreciate the view when he didn’t turn around right away. “Henry’s asleep.” She closed the door at her back and moved into the room, dropping her phone on the nightstand. Emma stepped out of her shoes and didn’t bother to remove the rest of her clothes, choosing instead to simply face plant in the center of the bed. She stretched out her arms and legs and buried her face in the comforter. “Who knew breaking a curse could be so exhausting?” she muttered.

Killian chuckled and then she felt the bed dip and his hand was on her lower back, sliding beneath her sweater to stroke her bare skin. Emma let out a content sigh, relaxing even more as his fingers traced her spine. “Isn’t this the second curse you’ve broken, love?”

“Third,” Emma replied. She turned her head just enough to stop speaking into the blanket. “Henry’s sleeping curse and Regina’s original curse were kind of a two for one deal. But I didn’t really get a chance to be exhausted after that because I fell through a portal and ended up unconscious in the Enchanted Forest.”

“Ah, yes,” Killian said fondly. His fingers continued to trace patterns on her skin and Emma couldn’t help the shudder that moved through her from his touch. She wondered if her body would ever stop being so aware of his. She hoped not. “And then you met a handsome pirate. I remember the tale well.”

Emma rolled her eyes. She didn’t need to see him to know the smug expression he likely wore. “I seem to recall meeting a lying blacksmith there.” His hand stilled on her back and she finally chanced a glance at him. It was her turn to smirk when she saw the pouty look on his face. “Is something wrong, Captain?”

“On the contrary,” Killian replied. He removed his hand from her sweater and trailed it up her back, tangling his fingers in her hair. “The stories you told me while I was without my memory were quite revealing.” He tugged on her hair with just enough force to send another shudder rippling through her.

“Pirate,” Emma muttered. She let out a surprised squeak when she felt his bare chest pressed against her back, his weight pushing her gently into the mattress as his warm breath touched her ear. “And don’t you forget it, love.” He straightened up and she instantly missed the feel of him against her.

He trailed his hand over the back of her leg and Emma let out another sigh and closed her eyes. “I dare say the evening went surprisingly well,” he commented.

Despite her exhaustion, Emma agreed. The new memories everyone possessed made it a lot less awkward to sit down to dinner with her parents and Robin and Regina. Henry and Roland had lightened the mood whenever things veered toward the uncomfortable – like when her father had asked Robin about suddenly finding himself in the modern world. Emma waited for Regina to turn him into ash, but Robin had answered and then the boys filled the silence that followed.

Other people had wandered in and out of the diner all night with questions and Emma had done her best to answer them. Gold and Belle picked up dinner and the man remained evasive on how he’d managed to get back, but his brief appearance hadn’t caused any trouble so Emma counted it as a win – for now. If there was more to the story, the details would come out eventually like every other secret people tried and failed to keep in this town.

“Swan?” Killian’s voice brought her back to the present and Emma rolled onto her back, sending him a sheepish look when she met his gaze. “Sorry, what were you saying?”

He smiled at her. “Nothing of any importance,” Killian replied. He shifted closer and leaned down to press a kiss to the tip of her nose. “You should get some rest. Things will be lively at the station tomorrow when more people wander in with questions.”

Emma groaned. She knew he was right, but she really didn’t want to think about it at the moment. “I’m going to miss the once a week drunken disorderly complaints. Good thing I’ve got three deputies now to pawn my work off on.” Even though she was teasing him, Emma had a feeling the extra help would come in handy.

Killian laughed, but Emma noticed the humor didn’t quite reach his eyes. She pushed herself into a sitting position and reached out, cupping his cheek in her palm. Emma didn’t like that something was bothering him and she couldn’t tell what it was. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

He sent her a sad smile. “Perhaps now that everyone’s memories have returned, it might not be wise to have a former pirate helping to police the town.”

Emma scoffed, but then she saw a flicker of something in his eyes and realized how serious he was. “Killian, you’ve been a great deputy. It doesn’t matter what happened in the past. I don’t care about that. I care about now and if a former thief can be a sheriff, I don’t have a problem with a former pirate being a deputy along with another former thief,” she added, thinking of the stories Robin had told them at dinner. “I need you.”

A genuine smile crossed his face and the look in his eyes warmed her heart. Emma hated that he doubted himself now that his memories returned, but she refused to let him think that he was anything less than the hero she’d seen him be. “We do make quite the team,” he commented.

“Yeah, we do,” Emma agreed. She shifted closer and pressed her lips against his. “A devilishly handsome pirate told me that once.” She felt him grin and kissed him again. “Now can we please go to sleep before someone calls to tell us there’s a new crisis?” She tugged on his arm, attempting to pull him closer to the pillows.

But Killian refused to budge and Emma let out a frustrated sigh and fell back against the pillows. He remained undeterred by her behavior. “I believe there’s one more thing we still need to address, Swan.” She made a face, wondering what could possibly be more important than sleep. Before she could ask, he tapped his finger against his lips and gave her a pointed look.

Oh. That.

Emma was more than tempted to put the conversation off once more, but she had a feeling Killian wouldn’t let it slide a second time. She’d been dancing around the topic since the kiss happened and she had no idea how to even begin to talk about something so huge. She could feel his eyes on her and Emma forced herself to meet his gaze, even as her heart started to pound ridiculously fast in her chest.

“Killian,” she started and then immediately paused. “I…”

His expression softened and he stretched out on the bed beside her, propping himself up on his elbow. “It’s all right. We don’t need to talk about it now. Are you planning to sleep in your clothes?”

She could hear the teasing in his voice and knew he meant what he said about dropping the conversation. Emma wanted to because she hated talking about her feelings and she didn’t even know what to say because their kiss broke a curse, which could only mean one thing. Even though the kiss had shocked her, Emma knew how she felt. And after everything Killian had done for her, she wanted – _needed_ – to say the words.

Emma shifted to sit up again and he followed suit, his blue eyes watching her closely. She swallowed hard and tried to summon her nerve, but it seemed more elusive than ever. Killian reached out and brushing his knuckles across her cheek. Emma met his gaze and he smiled at her, familiar love and hope shining in his eyes. She had no idea what she’d done to deserve this man who loved her so much, but she was grateful for whatever it was.

“I couldn’t have gotten through this without you, Killian.” Emma placed her hand over his heart. “You believed in me even when you had no memories of everything we’d been through and what I told you wasn’t exactly reassuring. I don’t think I can ever tell you how much that means to me.”

Color rose in his cheeks. “Swan…”

“No, I’m not done yet,” Emma replied. Words might not be her strong suit, but she owed him this, and even more than that, she wanted to tell him. “You did win my heart and I do want you.” Her voice shook a little, but Emma held his gaze and kept talking. “I know our life won’t be like it was under the curse, but I don’t care.” She gestured around them. “This is what I want with you and with Henry and my parents – our family.” Her voice cracked again and Killian brushed a stray tear from her cheek. “I love you.”

If possible, he looked at her with even more love in his eyes and she let go of the fear and leaned into him, gently touching her lips to his. She felt the same jolt of electricity and the familiar hum of her magic, just beneath her skin as he kissed her back, his mouth moving slowly over hers.

Killian broke the kiss and slid his hand from her cheek into her hair, pulling her closer and mating his forehead to hers. “I love you too, Emma. I will love you until my dying breath.” His mouth found hers again and Emma could feel his promise pouring into the kiss. She returned it just as fiercely while her heart beat frantically in her chest. For the first time in her life, Emma knew without a doubt that she’d finally found her home.


End file.
